A Ten Point Formula for Success by President Lyndon Johnson

Dr. David Schwartz, author of “The Magic of Thinking Big” contends that a key element of success is to follow a plan for liking people. In the book, he talks of President Johnson’s ten-point formula for success. Here are those points for your review. Ask yourself after reading each one: How can I better practice this idea in my daily life?

1. Learn to remember names. Inefficiency at this point may indicate that your interest is not sufficiently outgoing.
2. Be a comfortable person so there is no strain in being with you. Be an old-shoe kind of individual.
3. Acquire the quality of relaxed easy-going so that things do not ruffle you.
4. Don’t be egotistical. Guard against the impression that you know it all.
5. Cultivate the quality of being interesting so people will get something of value from their association with you.
6. Study to get the “scratchy” elements out of your personality, even those of which you may be unconscious.
7. Sincerely attempt to heal, on an honest basis, every mis-understanding you have had or now have. Drain off your grievances.
8. Practice liking people until you learn to do so genuinely.
9. Never miss an opportunity to say a word of congratulation upon anyone’s achievement, or express sympathy in sorrow or disappointment.
10. Give spiritual strength to people, and they will give genuine affection to you.

Which of these principles could you use the most help with improving?