Develop your Friendliness

The man or woman with a friendly personality always has an advantage over the person with a dead-pan poker face and an indifferent attitude. In social life, in public life, or in modern business, it is significant that friendliness pays the biggest dividends. No matter what service you need, no matter what product you want, no matter what your goal in life, isn't it true that you always lean toward the individual with the smiling, friendly personality?

Friendliness leads to friendship, and friendship is the number one success factor in life. How many real friends have you? Can you count them on the fingers of one hand, or both hands? If you can equal that number, or go beyond it, you are fortunate indeed.

Many people mistake acquaintances for real friends. While acquaintances are picked up here and there, true friendships are developed over the years.

As Confucius once wrote:
"There are 3 friendships which are advantageous and 3 which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; friendship with the man of much observation: these are advantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued: these are injurious."

Let us not kid ourselves about our friends. Along side of friendliness is the rare
virtue of thoughtfulness. A man with a friendly personality is apt to be a thoughtful individual as well, the two qualities seem to go hand in hand.

There are really two kinds of friends. First, is the casual type;the fair-weather friend-who is really nothing more than a mere acquaintance. Second, is the solid, constructive type of friend-who gives back what you put into him.