Carnegie's Way of Life Education

Author: Dale Carnegie (USA)/Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: This book is the origin of motivational literature, first published in 1937. Since its initial release, it has been a bestseller, having sold 15 million copies to date. It remains as practical today as it was when first published because Dale Carnegie has a profound understanding of the unchanging nature of humanity. Carnegie believed: "Only 15% of financial success is due to professional knowledge, while 85% is due to 'the ability to express one's views, the ability to take leadership responsibility, and the ability to inspire enthusiasm.'" Carnegie illustrated these important points with examples from famous historical figures, business leaders, and ordinary people in daily life.
You can only make people obey or serve you by making them "willing." Of course, if you point a gun at someone's chest, you can force them to give up their treasure. You can also compel workers to work for you with threats. You can scold and beat your children into obedience, but the results of such brute force are always disastrous. So, how can you make people willing? Simply put, give them what they love.
The great Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud said: "People do everything for a reason, and these reasons stem from two sources: sexual desire and a desire for competition." The great American philosopher Dr. John Dewey also said: "The greatest hope of human beings is to become outstanding figures." These statements are entirely accurate, and their reasoning is interconnected.
If we analyze the things we desire in daily life, we can roughly divide them into eight key points:
1. Health and longevity
2. Sufficient food
3. Comfortable sleep
4. Material or financial satisfaction
5. Continuity of life
6. Happiness in sexual life
7. Peaceful children
8. Being respected
Among these, the most noteworthy is the eighth point, because the other seven can be achieved through self-effort, while "being respected" cannot be obtained without relying on others. Freud's "desire for competition" and Dewey's "desire to become outstanding figures" are based on this kind of psychology. Therefore, when interacting with others, if you meet their psychological needs, you will surely gain their favor and achieve your desired goals.
Lincoln said: "Everyone enjoys a compliment." William James also said: "Human nature craves respect." This tells us that "being respected" is a psychological necessity for everyone. Whoever satisfies this need can capture the hearts of others and become a respected figure. The most important difference between humans and other animals lies in the desire for "being respected."
I remember when I was young, my father was good at raising pigs and cows and often attended livestock competitions at the market, winning many first-place awards. He pinned all the awards on a piece of cloth and proudly showed them off to everyone. However, the pigs and cows directly involved in the awards had no idea about them and showed no interest in the competitions. This is because animals simply do not have the concept of "being respected." If our ancestors had not had this drive for progress, humanity would never have reached its current level of civilization, and we might still be living like animals.
It is said that when Lincoln worked as a clerk in a grocery store, he spent five dollars to buy a law book to read, and later became a famous lawyer. This was due to his drive for progress that led to his success. Similarly, Dickens wrote countless immortal works, all with the hope of being respected. John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate, achieved his current wealth of millions through the same aspiration. Other wealthy people who build skyscrapers, wear fashionable clothes, or drive new cars, as well as those who like to talk about their children's intelligence, are all driven by the desire for "being respected."
However, strangely enough, this desire can also drive many young people to become thieves. According to former New York Police Commissioner Edward Mulrooney, many young criminals, upon being arrested, often demand that the newspapers report them as "heroes." They are so eager for their photos to be published alongside those of celebrities that they do not mind even facing the electric chair.
If I tell you how you plan to achieve your goal of "being respected," I can guess what kind of person you are. For example, John D. Rockefeller, wanting to gain fame, spent a fortune establishing Peking Union Medical College in Beijing. On the other hand, the American gangster Al Capone achieved the same goal through his criminal activities. When being pursued, he proudly told people, "I am the famous Al Capone!" He glorified his crimes. Although his goal was the same as Rockefeller's, his methods were entirely different, making him a completely different person.
Many historical figures in history hoped to gain respect. Washington wanted to be called the "Great President," and Columbus wanted the title of "Admiral of the Navy and Governor of India."
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