CRITIC
An assortment of Dale Carnegie quotes
There is only one way to get anybody to do anything. And that is by making the other person want to do it.
Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.
Do you know the most important trait a man can have? It is not executive ability, it is not a great mentality, it is not kindliness, nor courage, nor a sense of humor, though each of these is of tremendous importance. In my opinion, it is the ability to make friends, which, boiled down, means the ability to see the best in man.
When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.
Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Life is too short to bore other people with talk of our petty accomplishments. Let’s encourage them to talk instead.
Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire?
If we want to find happiness, let’s stop thinking about gratitude or ingratitude and give for the inner joy of giving.
Remember that the other man may be totally wrong. But he doesn’t think so. Don’t condemn him. Any fool can do that try to understand him. Only wise, tolerant, exceptional men even try to do that. There is a reason why the other man thinks and acts as he does. Ferret out that hidden reason-and you have the key to his actions, perhaps to his personality. Try honestly to put yourself in his place.
You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Which is just another way of saying that the way to make a friend is to be one.
One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let him sustain his feeling of importance.
This is a hurried age we’re living in. If you’ve got anything to say, say it quickly, get to the point and stop, and give the other man a chance to talk.
Make a man laugh a good hearty laugh, and you’ve paved the way for friendship. When a man laughs with you, he, to some extent, likes you.
Do you know the most important trait a man can have? It is not executive ability; it is not a great mentality; it is not kindliness, nor courage, nor a sense of humor, though each of these is of tremendous importance. In my opinion, it is the ability to make friends, which, boiled down, means the ability to see the best in man.
We ought to be modest, for neither you nor I amount to much. Both of us will pass on and be completely forgotten a century from now. Life is too short to bore other people with talk of our petty accomplishments. Let’s encourage them to talk instead.
Actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, “I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you.” That is why dogs make such a hit. They are so glad to see us that they almost jump out of their skins. So, naturally, we are glad to see them. An insincere grin? No. that doesn’t fool anybody. We know it is mechanical and we resent it. I am talking about a real smile, a heartwarming smile, a smile that comes from within, the kind of smile that will bring a good price in the market place.
Let’s cease thinking of our accomplishments, our wants. Let’s try to figure out the other man’s good points. Then forget flattery. Give honest, sincere appreciation. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise,” and people will cherish your words and treasure them and repeat them over a lifetime-repeat them years after you have forgotten them.
If you and I want to stir up a resentment tomorrow that may rankle across the decades and endure until death, just let us indulge in a little stinging criticism-no matter how certain we are that it is justified. 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.
If you can be kind and considerate for one day, then you can be for another. It won’t cost you a penny in the world. Begin today.
Forget yourself by becoming interested in others. Do every day a good deed that will put a smile of joy on someone’s face.
There is only one way under high heaven to get the best of an argument-and that is to avoid it. Avoid it as you would avoid rattlesnakes and earthquakes. Nine times out of ten, an argument ends with each of the contestants being more firmly convinced than ever that he is absolutely right. You can’t win an argument. You can’t because if you lose it, you lose it; and if you win it, you lose it. Why? Well, suppose you triumph over the other man and shoot his argument full of holes and prove that he is non compos mentis. Then what? You will feel fine. But what about him? You have made him feel inferior. You have hurt his pride. He will resent your triumph.
It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.
Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.
Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that has the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.
Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Most of us have far more courage than we ever dreamed we possessed.
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.
Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.
Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.
Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic.
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain – and most fools do.
Applause is a receipt, not a bill.
Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.
Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping-stones to success.
Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves.
Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.
Each nation feels superior to other nations. That breeds patriotism and wars.
Fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.
Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have.
First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.
Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.
Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.
If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying.
If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done.
If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.
If you want to be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic.
If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
Instead of worrying about what people say of you, why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire.
People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.
Remember happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.
Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.
Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.
Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.
Tell the audience what you’re going to say, say it; then tell them what you’ve said.
The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.
The expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back.
The ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don’t like their rules, whose would you use?
The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.
The person who seeks all their applause from outside has their happiness in another’s keeping.
The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.
The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.
You can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.
You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.
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.
You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing.
Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete, colorful language, is the best way to recreate the incident as it happened and to picture it for the audience.
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Ever time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves.
There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.
There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it. ~
There is only one way… to get anybody to do anything. And that is by making the other person want to do it.
Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.
Today is life-the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.
We all have possibilities we don’t know about. We can do things we don’t even dream we can do.
When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade.
Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes the furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure thing boat never gets far from shore.
Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.
The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.
Don’t be afraid of enemies who attack you. Be afraid of the friends who flatter you.
Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.
Knowledge isn’t power until is it applied.
Our thoughts make us what we are.
When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.
Even God doesn’t propose to judge a man till his last days, why should you and I?No matter what happens, always be yourself.
Talk to someone about themselves and they’ll listen for hours.
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Let’s not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember “Life is too short to be little”.
Today is our most precious possession. It is our only sure possession.
The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today’s work superbly today. That is the only possible way you can prepare for the future.
You can sing only what you are. You can paint only what you are. You must be what your experiences, your environment, and your heredity have made you. For better or for worse, you must play your own little instrument in the orchestra of life.
Always have something to say. The man who has something to say and who is known never to speak unless he has, is sure to be listened to.
Flattery is telling the other person precisely what he thinks about himself.
Be wiser than other people if can; but do not tell them so.
Let’s find and remedy all our weaknesses before our enemies get a chance to day a word. That is what Charles Darwin did. When Darwin completed the manuscript of his immortal book “The Origin of Species” he realized that the publication of his revolutionary concept of creation would rock the intellectual and religious worlds. So he became his own critic and spent another 15 years checking his data, challenging his reasoning, and criticizing his conclusions.
Nobody kicks a dead dog.
A barber lathers a man before he shaves him.
A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.
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.
Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn’t you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn’t most of them turn out all right after all?
When two partners always agree, one of them is not necessary.
If there is some point you haven’t thought about, be thankful if it is brought to your attention.
You can measure the size of a person by what makes him or her angry. In time, we lose our freshness and spontaneity of true conversation. These are areas in which everyone interested in self-improvement will seek to improve.
