How to Win Friends and Influence People
In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie offers a simple but powerful truth: our lives improve when our relationships improve. By practicing kindness, curiosity, and respect, we become people others want to follow and be around. The excerpts below reflect his conviction that small acts of understanding, repeated daily, can strengthen trust and deepen connection.
Quotes to Consider from How to Win Friends and Influence People
“If you argue and rankle and contradict, you may achieve a victory sometimes; but it will be an empty victory because you will never get your opponent's good will.”
“Everybody in the world is seeking happiness—and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn't depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.”
“Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand them. Let’s try to figure out why they do what they do. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympath, tolerance and kindness.
“There is only one way under high heaven to get anybody to do anything… And that is by making the other person want to do it.”
“The world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage. He las little competition.”
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
“To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Remember that the people you are talking to are a hundred times more interested in themselves and their wants and problems than they are in you and your problems.”
“I have come to the conclusion that there is only one way under heaven to get the best of an argument—and that is to avoid it. Avoid it as you would avoid rattlesnakes and earthquakes.”
“You will never get into trouble by admitting that you may be wrong. That will stop all argument and inspire your opponent to be just as fair and open and broadminded as you are.”
“Remember that other people may be totally wrong. But they don’t think so. Don’t condemn them. Any fool can do that. Try to understand them. Only wise, tolerant, exceptional people even try to do that.”