I never noticed making friends was similar to ‘investment’ until now
What is Emotional Bank Account in Friendships?
“Friendships require effort”, I heard my younger brother’s teacher speak one day during his online class. It changed my paradigm completely towards friends. Why?
I used to think that friendships were natural. You discovered somebody you like, and after being with them for a little while, you become interdependent and this little thing (you discovered!) grows more with the laughs you share, the moments you spend together. I wasn’t ‘totally’ wrong!
Scientifically, friendships are an important source of your well-being. It gives you security. By being with your friends, you share eternal joy. And by being interdependent on friends, you share things that add value to your lives. There are so many things you share with your friends, that you don’t share with your family!
It is necessary, for our personal growth, that we make friends that help us and stay together.
Friendships require us to make investments. Always remember that every friend carries an Emotional Bank Account. It takes money in the form of reciprocity, support, honesty, empathy, and listening. The more you fill this account, the more rewarding is your friendship.
To make friends, we all need to invest more in the Emotional Bank Account of people. At a time, we can’t invest together in 100 people as this investment requires ‘time’ and some energy. However, start by making at least 2–3 people your friends. You can also invest in the Emotional Bank Account of friends you already know and make them more closely.
To know more about how to make friends:
Read How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
Learn more about investing in friendships from this book:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey
