How to Win Friends and Influence People

“One can for example, hire mere technical ability in engineering, accountancy, architecture or any other profession at nominal salaries. But the person who has technical knowledge plus the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people—that person is headed for higher earning power.” 

It’s important to produce useful goods and services, but it’s vital to convince others that they are valuable. Those who get along well with people and who communicate in an inspiring and effective manner will earn more money. 

“When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.”

Humans defend their reputations vigorously; criticism begets, not improvement, but resentment. People aren’t convinced by scolding but by encouragement.

“If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I’ll tell you what you are.” 

Some people get their sense of accomplishment by building great things; others, by being socially prominent; still others, by becoming celebrity criminals. Whatever the means, everyone needs to feel important; their choices in that pursuit help to define them.