The one trait that will take you further than any degree. …

"You shouldn't care what others think about you!" = TERRIBLE advice.

Success, to a great extent, relies on other people enjoying your company or rooting for you.

Nobody makes it to the top alone.

Here's how to become more likable:

Have no agenda:

Most people are always looking for an angle or a way to profit from an interaction.

Ironically, being genuinely interested and "in the moment" can be sensed and leads to exciting opportunities.

Honesty when it's hard:

Nobody enjoys delivering bad news or owning up to a mistake.

People lie because they feel stupid or they falsely believe others don't make errors.

But since everybody makes mistakes, we all know how uncomfortable it is to own up to them.

The universal apprehension for owning the unpleasant truth is your opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.

We all respect those who can do it without hesitation.

With all the great things President Lincoln did, his enduring nickname is "Honest Abe."

No coincidence!

Be open minded:

It's important to have confidence in your opinions/decisions based on your experience and knowledge...

But if you're never changing your mind, it's a red flag.

The ability to marry strong opinions with a diminutive ego is a rare combination that naturally attracts people.

As Professor Paul Saffo of Stanford says:

"Strong opinions, weakly held."

It's a hallmark of someone who is interested in the best outcome, not being right.

Logical > Emotional:

Being an android devoid of happiness and feelings certainly won't make you likable.

But being an emotional roller coaster is perceived as a liability.

Human beings crave consistency, so we naturally gravitate to things that are reliable.

In business you need passion and energy, but controlled within a certain bandwidth.

It's okay to be angry or upset, but hitting the extremes is a turnoff for people.

Being a logical decision maker and reactor earns trust and confidence.

Be well-researched:

There's a commonly used joke on Twitter about "not asking Google-able questions."

Few people are willing to do ANY research, but expect your time or opportunities in exchange.

Demonstrate some below-the-surface knowledge.

You'll be amazed at how many doors this opens.

Demonstrating research/genuine interest (knowing someone's alma mater, spouses name, good coffee shop near their office) is an easy way to get people in your corner.

Quick research = HUGE return.

Publicly expand your comfort zone:

It's easy to criticize people who are sharing their journey/learnings publicly.

But I NEVER see successful (and happy) people taking jabs at those stretching their comfort zone.

The people you're trying to attract have experienced those same feelings of uneasiness when speaking or hitting "publish."

But they do it anyway.

And when they see you doing it consistently, they'll do everything they can to help you succeed.

Always be ethical:

If somebody offers you an opportunity to make money at someone else's expense, pass on it.

A quick win will feel good in the short term.

But in our hyper-connected world, word travels fast.

If you're known to be ethical, people will look for ways to bring you into opportunities.

Otherwise, that quick win may be the last one you have.

Sacrificing ethics for money never works out in the long run -- and you'll feel like sh*t.

Being likable will get you access to business opportunities, help you catch trends, and win friends who want to help you.

It might be the simplest way to get wealthy and build meaningful relationships.

And it's all in your control.

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The one trait that will take you further than any degree.

Being likable.

7 ways to get people invested in your success:
— Barrett O'Neill (@barrettjoneill) June 1, 2022