Flashback to early 2021: I stumbled upon this book on a shelf, and I was like, "Oh great, another guide on how to chat your way through life" – all thanked to its super cliché title. But, feeling a bit like a fish out of water when it came to communicating with work buddies who marched to a different beat, I reluctantly decided to give it a shot. Expectations? As low as the basement floor.

Lo and behold, turns out I played the underestimation game unfairly. 10 Rules for Talking was more than just a chit-chat manual. Reading through its pages felt like a necessary step, especially considering that my initial skepticism mirrored one of the negative examples highlighted in the section titled "Remember most people are good, competent, and worthy of respect."

The way the book utilized anecdotes to illustrate the practical application of its 10 fundamental rules appears to have resonated with me, making the concepts relatable and applicable to various aspects of life, including personal relationships, work situations, and even political discussions. The author's inclusion of personal experiences seems to have added a relatable and practical dimension to the advice provided in the book, making it more engaging and applicable to our day-to-day interactions.

Sharing some of my favourite quotes from the book: 

"Emotions can only be accurate if you have the right emotion in the right amount."

"CHARM VERSUS CHARISMA - Charm has a direction and a peak of intensity and is best understood as an action. It is something that you do. Charisma is a quality; it is something you have. Use charm and charisma appropriately."

"The major difference I see in elite performers is energy. They have energy to burn. They're prepared to work at stuff, to do more. Whether it's more training, more practice, sending out more proposals, working longer hours; they're prepared to try more things. They have a physical restlessness about them and desire to be better."

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