Advice on being irresistible (from a French Nobleman)

Introduction. La Rochefoucauld was one of the most famous French noblemen of the 17th century. Rochefoucauld had an observant eye and a gift for aphorisms. Discover his surprisingly relevant insights on how to have good conversations, what is worse than betrayal, and more! 👇

People who are comfortable in their own skin are irresistible: "There is an air which belongs to the figure & talents of each individual...We should try to find out what air is natural to us & never abandon it, but make it as perfect as we can." Authenticity is hot.

Why children please us: "It is because they are wrapt up in the air and manner nature has given them, & are ignorant of any other. They are changed and corrupted when they quit infancy, they think they should imitate what they see, and they are not altogether able to imitate it."

Halfway trust is unsatisfying for both parties: "We should make it a rule never to have half confidences. They always embarrass those who give them, & dissatisfy those who receive them. It is far safer and more honest to tell nothing than to be silent when we have begun to tell."

Bad listeners make bad speakers. How to have good conversations: "To please others we should talk on subjects they like & that interest them, avoid disputes upon indifferent matters, seldom ask questions, & never let them see that we pretend to be better informed than they are."

Against hyperbole: "Never let the words be grander than the matter."

The good qualities of others may "not suit us" - it's important to develop virtues that are organic to our nature, virtues that are not imitated or imported, but are innate.

Don't let trivial concerns steal all your energy, time, and will-power: "People too much taken up with little things usually become incapable of big ones."

Great achievement follows prioritization: "A shrewd man has to arrange his interests in order of importance and deal with them one by one; but often our greed upsets this order and makes us run after so many things at once that…to have the trivial we miss the most important."

Better risk betrayal than look at a friend with suspicious eyes: "It is more shameful to distrust one’s friends than to be deceived by them."