Dale Carnegie

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.

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.

Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.

You never achieve real success unless you like what you are doing.

Profile / Biography

Dale Carnegie was born into a poor Missouri farming family in 1888, and became one of the proponents of the responsibility assumption, that teaches it is possible to change a person’s behavior by changing one’s reaction to them.

Dale Carnegie famously penned the book How To Wind Friends and Influence People, which was published in 1936 and has sold over 15 million copies.

The principles set forth in Carnegie’s book are very straightforward and effective.  He posits that some of the fundamental techniques when “handling” people are to never criticize, condemn, or complain, to give honest and sincere and honest appreciation, and to arouse in the other person an eager want.  The book has been turned into several courses, but the courses themselves have come under several criticisms, including literary attacks that claim some of the techniques are manipulative.  It may be that some of these criticisms come not from Carnegie’s base teachings, but their attempted translation by people who do not fully comprehend them.

Dale Carnegie himself seemed to do very well with his approach to people, overcoming his dirt poor roots and putting himself through college in Warrensburg while continuing to work on the farm.  He worked as a salesperson in several ventures before finding success as an author.

Carnegie died of Hodgkin’s disease in 1955.