Dale Carnegie Quotes (98 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

Variant: You can make more friends in two months by being interested in them, than in two years by making them interested in you.
Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936), p. 52 (in 1998 edition)

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”

Dale Carnegie

Variant: When fate hands you lemons, make lemonade.

“Knowledge isn’t power until it is applied.”

Dale Carnegie

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie Quotes about people

“Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so.”

Dale Carnegie

Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774)

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

As quoted in The Ring of Truth (2004) by Joseph O'Day

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Variant: 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.
Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“If some people are so hungry for a feeling of importance that they actually go insane to get it, imagine what miracle you and I can achieve by giving people honest appreciation this side of insanity.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“The world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tries to serve others has an enormous advantage.”

Dale Carnegie

Source: How to Win Friends & Influence People

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie, quoted in Permission to Play : Taking Time to Renew Your Smile (2003) by Jill Murphy Long, p. 69

Dale Carnegie Quotes about thinking

“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 it.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Variant: 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.
Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Flattery is telling the other person precisely what he thinks about himself.”

Dale Carnegie

“By far the most vital lesson I have ever learned is the importance of what we think. If I knew what you think, I would know what you are. Our thoughts make us what we are.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1948), p. 5

“Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.”

Dale Carnegie

As quoted in Plenty of Time to Sleep When You're Dead : A Compilation of Life-changing Quotes (2006) by Richard Caridi
As quoted in Sprituality in a Materialistic World (2008) by Leslie Klein
Variant: Remember happiness doesn't depend on who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

“The words "Think and Thank" are inscribed in many of the Cromwellian churches of
England. These words ought to be inscribed in our hearts, too: "Think and Thank". Think
of all we have to be grateful for, and thank God for all our boons and bounties.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie: Trending quotes

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

“Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have.”

Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie Quotes

“Our thoughts make us what we are.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“No matter what happens, always be yourself.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“Success is getting what you want..
Happiness is wanting what you get.”

Dale Carnegie

Variant: Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.

“Even god doesn't propose to judge a man till his last days, why should you and I?”

Dale Carnegie

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

Dale Carnegie

“… 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.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“Two men looked out from prison bars,
One saw the mud, the other saw stars.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“Today is our most precious possession. It is our only sure possession.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

“To be interesting, be interested.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“All men have fears, but the brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to victory.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“You'll never achieve real success unless you like what you're doing.”

Dale Carnegie

“If you want enemies, excel your friends; but if you want friends, let your friends excel you.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Applause is a receipt, not a bill.”

Dale Carnegie

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Part 1 : Fundamental Techniques in Handling People, p. 36.
Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936)
Context: Benjamin Franklin, tactless in his youth, became so diplomatic, so adroit at handling people that he was made American Ambassador to France. The secret of his success? "I will speak ill of no man," he said, "... and speak all the good I know of everybody." Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving. "A great man shows his greatness," says Carlyle, "by the way he treats little men."

“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?”

Dale Carnegie

On his book How to Win Friends and Influence People as quoted in Newsweek (8 August 1955); also quoted in Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56 (1957) by James Beasley Simpson, p. 128.

“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.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1948), p. 110

“Everybody in the world is seeking happiness—and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn't depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Talk to someone about themselves and they'll listen for hours.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, ‘I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.”

Dale Carnegie

“If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.”

Dale Carnegie

“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, for your character is what you are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

Dale Carnegie

“One of the 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.”

Dale Carnegie

“Let's not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. Remember "Life is too short to be little".”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“A man convinced against his will
Is of the same opinion still”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“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.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.”

Dale Carnegie

“Names are the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“I have come to the conclusion that 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.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's do as General Eisenhower does: let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (1948), p. 101.

“If You Want to Gather Honey, Don't Kick Over the Beehive”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“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.”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“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.”

Dale Carnegie

“Why talk about what we want? That is childish. Absurd. Of course, you are interested in what you want. You are eternally interested in it. But no one else is. The rest of us are just like you: we are interested in what we want.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a person's precious pride, hurt his sense of importace and arouse resentment.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“By fighting you never get enough, but by yielding you get more than you expected.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“if you want to keep happiness, you have to share it!”

Dale Carnegie book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Source: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

“We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today”

Dale Carnegie

“Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand them. Let’s try to figure out why they do what they do. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance and kindness. “To know all is to forgive all.”

Dale Carnegie

Source: How to Win Friends & Influence People

“A barber lathers a man before he shaves him.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“arouse in the other person an eager want. He who can do this has the whole world with him. He who cannot walks a lonely way.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“The expression one wears on one's face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one's back.”

Dale Carnegie

“there is only one way under high heaven to get the best of an argument - and that is to avoid it.”

Dale Carnegie

“Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.”

Dale Carnegie

from Dale Carnegie’s Scrapbook, ed. Dorothy Carnegie, as cited in Words of Wisdom https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0671695878, William Safire & Leonard Safir, Simon and Schuster (reprint, 1990), p. 87

“Winning friends begins with friendliness.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

How to Win Friends and Influence People

“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

Dale Carnegie

As quoted in A Joke, a Quote, & the Word : Feed Your Body, Soul and Spirit (2006) by Ronald P. Keeven, p. 147

“Once I did bad and that I heard ever. Twice I did good, but that I heard never.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People

“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.”

Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People

Source: How to Win Friends and Influence People