One of the easiest things you can do to prepare yourself for success is to take control of your appearance. Your appearance is what attracts people to you and it plays a significant role in how you influence them. As an athlete, your appearance contributes to the image you portray about yourself and the school you represent. It’s important that that image attract people that can support you and your program.
No one is looking at my hair.
That’s their problem if they don’t like what I have on.
I’ll just wear some sweat pants, no one will notice.
Wrinkles, who cares?
At some point, these statements reflected my attitude about my appearance. As you can tell, I had little regard for how I was seen. Unfortunately, others were receiving signals from my physical appearance that produced responses that I didn’t desire. The signals my appearance gave off, implied that I didn’t deserve or expect much respect, and thus people treated me accordingly. Like it or not, people judge you by your appearance. Before you speak, their judgement of how you look has some bearing on how they will react to you.
The way I looked influenced how I was treated. I was often belittled and hardly ever taken seriously.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there were other things that contributed to this treatment, but my appearance initiated it.
I had to learn that if you want people to value you, you have to show that you value yourself and them. This is first revealed through your appearance.
For example, by showing up to an event dressed appropriately you send a message that you value people. You’re saying, “I’m honoring and respecting those who are present, the sponsors, and organizers, because I’m adhering to the dress code which supports the intended purpose for the occasion. I’m in accord with everyone involved.”
To be fair, your appearance is the only thing that people have to work with to determine what type of person you are and/or trying to become, before they get any other information. In order to really portray who you are or who you’re trying to become, things that are not consistent with that image have to be removed. Your appearance can’t be a distraction.
Therefore, I encourage you to take care of your appearance by practicing day-to-day good grooming habits and personal hygiene, and dressing to fit the occasion, or situation, the best that you can.
Command the desired attention for you and your team. Look like that person that people want to know and support. Look like you belong at the event. Look like you are successful. Look the way you that you deserve to be treated.
How do you think you look to people? Let me know.
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Visit my website geralinelhandsome.com (Athlete’s Voice to Integrity) for more information about how to become a super athlete.
About the Author: Geraline L. Handsome has developed a passion to help high school and college athletes of team sports discover their identity. She is a former Women’s Basketball Player for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). There she earned a B.S. degree in chemistry/mathematics. She has a MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is an Environmental Scientist and the mother of two. She is also a Huffington Post Contributor and the author of the book Sins of One Woman’s Mind.
Geraline L. Handsome has developed the Creating the Super Athlete Course (Audio/Video), a product designed to help parents and coaches help their athletes develop attitudes and character that will enable them to perform better in their sport, in the classroom, and in public.
