Want To Succeed In Business, Social, Personal Life? Take Good Care Of Your Personal Image

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.

---

Dare to Dream Again

Do you remember when you were a child and no... Read More

Ready? Go! Tweak!

Let's set the scene. You're in a packed stadium. It's... Read More

Discovery In A Million Dollar Mistake

I have noticed that though my clients often have created... Read More

Ten, Humourous, Power Attitudes

The ability to achieve our enormous untapped potential is directly... Read More

Sentenced to Success

I once heard a speaker use the statement, "I have... Read More

STOP Trying Harder

You've been searching for self improvement or personal development. Trying... Read More

19 Good Questions For Living The Good Life (Just The Right Question To Get Just What You Desire)

It happened again in class. While sharing my insights on... Read More

Youve Got To Find Passion In It

People often ask me, "Josh, if you had one bit... Read More

Discipline

I've been thinking a lot about what I believe to... Read More

Nothing Comes Easy

I am constantly approached by people when I am speaking... Read More

Conquering Bad Habits

Most of your behavior is determined by your habits. Everything... Read More

Belief Helps You Succeed But Can It Win A Boat Race?

On March 27th 2005, Oxford won the annual boat race... Read More

Modelling Your Way to Success

The fastest way to succeeding in anything, be it online... Read More

Tiger Woods Secret to Success

Did you see or hear about 'The Masters' golf tournament... Read More

10 Universal Principles of Success

Success is not something that only a chosen few can... Read More

Let It Be You

Each and every day, there are people all around the... Read More

How Do You Measure Success?

Success isn't all that it's cracked up to be... I'm... Read More

Is Success About Money?

Success could be just about making money, but I think... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Progressive Goal Party

Hold a "progressive" goal party If you have a group... Read More

What Am I Going To Do With The Rest Of My Life?

Unexpected life changes. Anticipated transitions. Long, sleepless nights. What do... Read More

How to be Professional?

Is it difficult to be professional?I think from my experience... Read More

Do You Fear Your Own Success?

Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More

Clues for Success: Finding Answers Right in Front of Your Face

An old fable tells about a religious man and a... Read More

Is Your Life A Minefield ?

Why everything has to be so hard? What have I... Read More

How to Find Out What You Want from Life

No matter how young or old you are, you must... Read More

Surf the Wave of Abundance

Bank account bare? Bedroom barren? Body running on empty? Buddha... Read More

Success: By The Numbers

What is "success"? Why does it seem everyone wants "success"?... Read More

Vision -- What Are You Doing Today Towards Achieving Your Vision?

Every man who accomplishes things sees first in his mind... Read More

If You?re Not Where You Want To Be In Life, It?s Your Own Fault

Have you ever wondered why you're not where you want... Read More

Discover The 90/10 Secret: It Will Change Your Life

The 90/10 secret is incredible! Very few know and apply... Read More

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

I do! I want to be a millionaire! Do you?Judging... Read More

Business Success Secrets: Improving Yourself by 1% Daily

Hey,Josh here from Investor Wealth Academy sitting 29 stories above... Read More

Learn Faster, Change is Coming

Challenges posed by recent economic and market shifts, though predicted... Read More