The Easiest Way to Upgrade Your Life

That's a really bold statement I have said there, but I thought well through it and I can assure you that there's not a speck of exaggeration in what I'm going to show you. It's the plain truth. But there's a small bias -- the upgrade is more pronounce in young professionals like me. If you run, full-time, a very large farm in Benue state, the upgrade might not be result-yielding.

As much as I hate to admit it, more than half of what most people think of us is based on how we look. It's usually unfair, but it's the truth. A lady and I go for an interview as a Network Administrator, we are both dressed well, we both meet the requirements, and though she has more years of experience than me, I end up getting the job. Why? Without trying to verify, the interviewer believes that I will be more willing than her to crawl under tables and climb ladders to get network issues fixed. She losses the job just because the interviewer formed an opinion of her based on her look/gender. And it happens everyday and in every way. People form opinions about us based on our heights, our skin color, our accent, our clothes, our specs (if you wear one, like me) and our perfume.

You'll see two man walking into Sapetro Towers (at Adeola Odeku, VI). One is dressed in a jeans and shirt, the other is wearing a superb looking grey suit and a shinning dress shoe. The security man greets the one in suit and lets him pass; he stops the one in jeans and begins questioning him rudely. Why? The security man, like every other person, has formed a noble opinion of the suited guy and a much less noble one of the jeans guy.

People don't just address you based on how you look. They think of you, they give you privileges or deny you privileges, they give you a job or deny you a job, they even decide whether you'll make a good spouse or not based on how you look. And that's pretty much every major thing in your life.

This is more than just a first impression. They don't just stop at your first look, they keep piling up all your looks they have seen and build a massive opinion of you. Every other thing becomes an adjective. If you've got a sweet voice and smooth talk, but dress shabbily and have a lollipop head (thin neck & big head), you'll be seen more as the smooth talking bum. Chris Rock has this well captured in most of his comedy shows. You can have all the talents in the world and be so good the world can't do without you, yet, if people don't like how you look (with or without dress), you're just some indispensable scumbag. And they'll treat you like that, especially at your back.

image: footage.shutterstock.com

So upgrade the way you look and you upgrade your life. And I'm not just talking about the way you dress, though that's where I expect you to start from. But improve your complete look. Work on your posture. Exercise more to stop looking like someone going through a mid-life crisis. Look your age or younger. Be agile. It will show in the way you walk and give you a lively outlook. 
If you are extremely lean, you'll have an uphill task creating an extremely good impression. We are wired to link extreme leanness to malnourishment, poverty in cash and brain, and weakness. But the good news is you don't have to do too much to change than: Eat well, lots of protein, do weekly cycling and daily push-ups. And if no strange health reason is the cause, you'll be perfect in just 6 months. You'll have muscle padded broad shoulders, a dream neck, a muscular leg and a nicely toned body. No more lollipop head, flat back, no chest, stick leg, and weak body frame. 

Then work on your communications skill. Join a Toastmasters club. You don't want to keep sounding like you in Obama's clothes. Now that you've stepped up your look, step up your communications skills. Learn to talk confidently, cohesively and meaningfully. Learn to use your hand and body gestures expertly like an American politician. Learn to talk off-the-cuff. Learn to talk in a way that will still a crowd, arrest a billionaire, amaze your boss, and measure up to your newly improved look. 

Finally, be more deliberate. Don't just do things because others are doing them. Don't be found on every train of fashion. Think through your clothing decisions, in fact, think through all your decisions. It will make you look more responsible, calm and worthy of respect. And it will somehow show in your look, giving you a charming confident look. And it will make people have a better opinion of you. 

P.S. If you want to join a Toastmasters club and don't know how, feel free to reach me.