My parents used to say that when my Grandfather, Pop Pop Dailey, would walk into the room, it didn’t matter who was in the room. all eyes turned to Pop Pop Dailey. His very presence immediately took control of the entire room.
Why? People really liked him.
People who are likable are people magnets. They attract others to them.
In my Rich Habits research, I found several traits that made self-made millionaires likable. In fact, 94% stated that being likable was critical to their success in life.
Traits of Likable People:
- They Are Positive and Inspirational – They keep all of their conversations with other upbeat. They encourage and inspire, when they speak to others.
- They Avoid Negative Gossip – They never say anything negative about anyone, behind that person’s back.
- If They Gossip, They Engage in Positive Gossip – If they do have anything to say about someone, behind their back, it is always something positive.
- They Focus on Others – They focus their conversations on others, not themselves. They ask people they are conversing with questions about their lives and the lives of their family members.
- They Are Knowledgeable About Current Events – They are up to speed with all the important things that are going on in the world. This makes them interesting. They can speak on world events, politics, sports, and many other things.
- They Are Funny – They use humor to make people laugh.
- They Are Grateful – They talk about the good in life. They are not envious of others or they material possessions other people have.
- They Are Honest – This makes them trustworthy.
- They Are Open-Minded – They are easy to talk to. They don’t force their opinions on others. They are not locked in ideology – religious, political or otherwise.
- They Don’t Lose Their Temper or get Angry – They have complete control over their emotions, which makes people feel comfortable around them.
- They Are Modest
- They Are Passionate About Life
- They Are Healthy and Physically Fit
Turn Offs of Unlikable People:
- Negative Nancy’s – They drag people down with their negative attitude.
- Toxic Talkers – They share negative gossip about others.
- They Talk Too Much About Their Personal Problems – Everyone has problems. No one wants to hear your problems.
- They Are Uninformed – They know very little about what is going on in the world. This makes them uninteresting.
- They Lack Humor – They are not funny. They lack a sense of humor.
- They Are Pessimistic – They are negative and have a pessimistic outlook on life.
- They Lack Gratitude – They talk about what they don’t have. They focus on what they lack.
- They Talk About Themselves – The focus on their own lives. They brag about themselves.
- They are Closed-Minded – They force their opinions on others. They shove their ideologies down the throats of everyone they come into contact with.
- They Have a Superiority Complex – They see themselves as better, smarter, more knowledgeable than others. Their opinions are always right.
- They Name Drop – They try to make themselves appear to be important by dropping names of important people. This makes them seem pretentious.
- They Don’t Inspire – They are boring to be around. They have nothing to add to any conversation.
- They Seek Attention – They do things that draw attention to themselves.
- They Show Anger – They don’t have control over their emotions. They lose their temper around others. This scares others and pushes them away.
Likability is critical to success. You cannot succeed on your own. You need others to help you succeed in life. Being likable attacks others to you and helps open doors.
Tom Corley is an accountant, financial planner and author of “Rich Kids: How to Raise Our Children to Be Happy and Successful in Life”, Effort-Less Wealth, Change Your Habits Change Your Life, Rich Habits Poor Habits and “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.”
