88Pro Thinking

I was recently reading a book titled “How to Win Friends and Influence People” on one of my friend’s recommendations. Much to my surprise, I learned that the book was first printed in 1953 and still maintains an Amazon sales rank of 118 (lower sales rank indicates better sales). I guess it is human behavior; needs and wants in fundamental state has not changed much after all this time. Here is a small extract from the book, which taught me a very valuable lesson.

[Quote]
If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is the recipe: Never listen to anyone long. Talk incessantly about yourself. If you have an idea while the other person is talking, don’t wait for him or her to finish: bust right in and interrupt in the middle of a sentence.

(Page 106, chapter 4, part two, by Dale Carnegie)
[Unquote]

The chapter aims to teach us to be a good listener. Although, I am generally considered to be a good listener, I have to shamelessly admit that I don’t pay much attention when it comes my home front. Even if I do listen, I’m always in a hurry, in most occasions “standing in the rush” in spite of the many occasions my mother tells me otherwise.

When I get back home this time after my work assignment, I really want to try and change this bad habit of mine. I think it’s absolutely useless to listen to the whole world and not to do the same in the home front.

posted by 88Pro / Thursday, January 29, 2004