Designing Your Personal Makeover for Success
Everyone, no matter their career or place in life, must consider how they present themselves. It’s possible that you’ve never paused to think about how your appearance or personal interaction style reflect who you are. If so, you are holding yourself back. These two things can make or break your ability to reach your goals. This isn’t limited to physical appearance, but how others will experience and understand the whole of who you are and what you can do. Most people don’t think about the message they send.
You are a walking billboard, and everyone should understand and determine the kind of message they want to be sending to the world. This is where appearance and vision converge. Once you’ve developed an understanding of these important facets of your identity, then it’s time for the finishing touches. You may be surprised at how much of an impact these two concepts can have.
Dressing for the Life You Want
Though it may seem superficial, it’s true—our physical appearances communicate on our behalf. The way you present yourself speaks volumes to others and makes up a very important piece of how you are perceived.
Take a look around you and think about how you establish a first impression upon meeting someone new. First impressions are almost always based upon physical presence. How one dresses, cleanliness, posture, demeanor: all of these things matter, and are easily observed traits by strangers. The success you will or won’t have is heavily linked to the impressions you make on other people. How would you like to be described? Try selecting three words you would like your personal style to convey, then take some time to think about how those factors can support the message of your image, and how you can embody them.
Communicate Powerfully
The second half of your personal makeover is communication style. It’s important for you to communicate clearly, authentically, and with intention. It is also important that you embody what is authentic and true for yourself at all times. This is the principle that will serve you most profoundly when defining the message you send to others. Don’t be afraid to put your head and heart into your communications, whether written, physical, or verbal. Be yourself at all times. Opportunity can arise anywhere, so being prepared to share about yourself is a must. You may just run into the perfect opportunity in the check-out line at the grocery store, at a coffee shop, or on social media.
Communication can happen with or without words. Written communication can take the form of a resume, cover letter, email, and much more. Language is powerful. When interacting with others, be direct, clear, and precise. Write your communication with your intent in mind and don’t beat around the bush. And always say thank you.
It’s important to keep in mind that even when we are not speaking, we are communicating. In-person interactions have a huge impact. The way you walk into a room, sit, stand, look, and even shake hands speaks volumes about you. Every little bit counts.
Transitioning from planning and curating a vision to actually embodying everything you want can be frightening and exciting. Know that you can take your time with it, but the sooner you act and implement this makeover, the quicker you can achieve your goals.
Always be willing to return to your vision and make sure it is authentic to you and what you want to accomplish. The way you present yourself will evolve to embody this, and will likely have a significant impact on your life—not just on how you are perceived by others, but how you perceive yourself.
