Your personal image: It's the most important YOU asset you own.
Your personal image, the perception that people have about you, affects your success in every aspect of life - your life on the job, your social life, even your love life!
That is true because, no matter who you are or what you do, your success depends on what other people THINK about you - the image they have of you.
Your personal image has a number of elements. The way you dress, the colors you choose, the way you talk and the way you relate to others are some of the more important ones.
Some examples:
Personal Image And How You Dress
One very dramatic real-life example of how the way you dress can affect your success was recounted in the New York Times. The Times reported on what happened when two young men attempted to get an online service executive to give them $500,000 for their surfing website.
The young men bought new suits for the meeting and their presentation was equally buttoned up.
After just five minutes, the executive ended the meeting, saying, 'These are '#@%+! surfers?'
A couple of months later they came back for another presentation. How were they dressed this time? Like surfers - with Hawaiian shirts, shorts and sandals. For good measure, they acted the part in everything they said and did. But they didn't change their presentation at all.
This time, they walked out with the $500,000 order. Clearly, the way they were dressed made a huge difference. They now 'looked the part' and this gave them the credibility they lacked before.
'Looking the part, by dressing correctly has been proven critical to success in getting people to do what you want them to do.
In a famous experiment, two men approached 50 secretaries each in the same building to see which could best get past the secretaries to see the decision-maker.
Both used the same approach - but one man succeeded 24% of the time, while the second succeeded an astounding 60% of the time!
Even more astounding, they weren't two different men at all.
They were the same man.
The first time the man approached 50 secretaries he was wearing a black raincoat.
The secretaries perceived him as a messenger or delivery person -- someone who should not be allowed to get in to see their bosses.
When he approached the second 50 secretaries, he wore a tan raincoat. This time the secretaries perceived him as an executive, a peer of their bosses. So they granted his request to see them.
The clothes he wore and the colors he chose in each situation profoundly shaped the secretaries' image of him and made the difference between success and failure.
Personal Image And Your Conversation
Your talk (conversation ability) can be even more important to your success in business than your grades in school or college, according to a study by the Stanford University School of Business.
The study tracked the success of MBA's 10 years after they graduated. The result? Grade point averages of graduates had no bearing on their success -- but their ability to make conversation did.
The most successful graduates were those who could make conversation with anyone -- anyone from strangers to secretaries to bosses to customers.
Your image as being good in conversation helps you achieve success in social and personal relationships in two ways:
(1) Good conversation promotes 'liking.' We like to be around people who can carry on an interesting conversation.
(2) Good conversation creates an attractive image of wittiness, intelligence and self-confidence.
If you are able to carry on a good conversation, this makes people think of you as having more intelligence, wit and self confidence than those who cannot do so.
And, a university study showed just how important the perception of intelligence and self confidence can be.
In a study to determine the characteristics of the ideal male or ideal female -- intelligence and self confidence were rated as most important by 60% or more of respondents.
The message in all this for people who want to put themselves in position to succeed in their business, social and personal lives:
Take good care of your most important YOU asset - your personal image.
Copyright ? W. Paul Barton
About The Author
Mr. Barton, an internet publisher and author of How To Be GREAT!!! In Conversation, offers a range of books to help 'sell yourself,' including personal image improvement books for both men and women. http://www.sellfire.com/persimage.htm.
Oswego taxi to Midway ..Want more success in your business or professional life? Here's... Read More
A wonderful quote by author and scholar William A. Ward... Read More
Here are a few suggestions that I try to put... Read More
When you look into the eyes of a winner, what... Read More
Success could be just about making money, but I think... Read More
If you are looking for a surefire strategy to ensure... Read More
I want to relate to you a story, READ it... Read More
Jim Rohn wrote in his book The Five Major Pieces... Read More
To make change effective, you have to BE what you... Read More
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More
Do you know how much time do you spend listening?... Read More
If you are wishy-washy and undecided about you want and... Read More
Study hard, get good grades and you will have a... Read More
George Burns' career could have ended as early as 1958,... Read More
"In a moment of decision, the best thing you can... Read More
Give yourself a gold star Remember how rewarding it was... Read More
In the book, The SHOCKwealth System?, it is discussed that... Read More
There is a difference but what constitutes a life... Read More
Unfortunately we come into contact with negativity everyday. We can't... Read More
Friendly competition Get together with a group of like-minded friends... Read More
Routinely, I rise out of bed before the birds, and... Read More
The 90/10 secret is incredible! Very few know and apply... Read More
Two Immigrants Live The American DreamSome may call it a... Read More
What does "Lessons from My Garden" have to do with... Read More
(1) Climb up from under the limitations of circum?stances and... Read More
shuttle from Midway Morris ..The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of... Read More
An old fable tells about a religious man and a... Read More
I don't need to be a gypsy fortune teller to... Read More
The Great Library of Alexandria once held the wisdom of... Read More
I was talking about my business to a stranger the... Read More
Since December 1st 2004, I have written one article or... Read More
Okay, so you've finally made that big decision to start... Read More
Recently, I coached a young woman whom I'll call Mary... Read More
When Julie looks through the lens of her camera she... Read More
If you want to make more of your talents -... Read More
No surprise - winning traits are common among high achievers.Are... Read More
What is success? As author and speaker Earl Nightingale said,... Read More
1. Clearly define what you want and what is most... Read More
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our... Read More
If you could choose a cartoon character from your childhood... Read More
To achieve what you want, what you desire, needs a... Read More
Much has been researched, written and taught about success. One... Read More
There have been a lot of really good movies made... Read More
Just how powerful is the Subconscious Mind and how can... Read More
As I have worked with people over the years I... Read More
As a golfer and coach, I've been thrilled to watch... Read More
There are "How to" seminars on virtually every business topic.... Read More
Being a spiritual teacher has continually frightened me. Not because... Read More
1. Differentiate yourself using a Personal Value Proposition. A PVP... Read More
This is a little primer on how to start, survive... Read More
Success |