‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ in 2012

Marketing and self-confidence have a lot in common. As an ad agency would do its best to stand behind the virtues of, say, a ketchup brand, the confident man must believe in all of his unique features to make an impact on his world.

Win at business

As I?ve mentioned before, when I?m not writing for TSB or running miles around my neighborhood, I?m often writing ad copy for various agencies, clients, etc. If you?ve signed up for a dating site or bought a corporate-branded mug lately, my writing might have convinced you to do so.

On a recent interview for a freelance position, I was directed around the offices of a local ad agency. On my way I spotted a book I?d heard about before: ?How to Win Friends and Influence People.? Are you familiar with it? It?s one of the first really popular self-help books, published way back in 1936. My friend, a punk rock singer who?d be the last person I?d expect to read a book like this, recommended it to me. He?d told me how it helped find the confidence he needed take charge and make things happen.

Spotting this book mere days after my friend mentioned it, I took it as a sign and got reading. Despite its release date, most of the principles therein still apply today. It may have been published back when Greta Garbo was a sex symbol and the most fun thing to do on a Friday night was listen to ?Little Orphan Annie? on the radio, but it?s a great read for any guy looking to increase his confidence and achieve goals.

The best part about ?How to Win Friends and Influence People? is that most of the principles described actually call for you to be courteous to others. It doesn?t tell you to walk around like a douche and act like you?re the greatest thing since Jacked Doritos. No. The best way to influence others and make things happen, it seems, is to make others feel like they matter.

For those of you that have a difficult time taking initiative and being a leader, this book will help you become more influential and more confident. One of the actual headings in the book is titled ?Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment.?

If you?re thinking, what confident man needs a book telling him how to make friends and influence people?? stop right there. Wanting to become more self-assured and putting in the effort to increase one?s own level of confidence is not a bad thing. It doesn?t reveal that you?re insecure or lacking in confidence; it shows that you?re willing to do what it takes to achieve your goals, even if that involves reading a book older than your grandfather?s dentures.

The ability to make friends easily and influence others is something all men could benefit from. Once you put the principles described in this book into action, you?ll see that you can be just as much of a leader and confident guy as anyone.