What part of you do you believe you value the most—the outward appearance or the inward qualities? If you were a product or merchandise, would you be worth selling to your high-end clients? Do you consider yourself a rare piece of fine art whose price is non-negotiable?
While living in this highly technological culture, along with its groundbreaking medical cures and research, new advancement in plastic surgery and scientific breakthroughs, people are less concerned with character than they are with appearance. Just think; if you don’t like your weight, gastric bypass or one of the other ways to get around eating healthy and daily exercise is available. If you think your lips are too thin, apply a small dosage of collagen to fatten them up. Or if your hair is not long enough or full enough, there are weaves, extensions and other hair and scalp products that makes people question if what is on the head is real or not.
The American business industry aggressively pushes commercials and advertising on their viewership suggesting that external appearance is far more important than inner qualities. Therefore, it is no small wonder why companies, inventors, and the clothing industry are spending billions annually while making a mad dash to either steer mainstream values or create new ways to feed the ‘Me’ culture. The ‘Me’ culture is nothing but a masking of the ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ tradition.
But what about the spiritual qualities that allows a person to have a sense of mental stability? Do real inner qualities matter in today’s society where people are more concerned with breaking the rules to get ahead? Obviously, this is a dog-eat-dog culture where the weak are swallowed up and the strong are mastered by the rich. However, everyone doesn’t live their lives or conduct business like most people today who believe the bottom line is money exclusively.
In the movie Jerry Maguire, Jerry was a model sports agent, eager to do just about anything he could to get the largest possible contracts for his clients, with of course, a nice commission for himself. Until, one day, he suddenly has qualms about what he’s actually doing. When he voices these misgivings in writing, he eventually loses his job and all of his clients are stripped from him, leaving him with a secretary who believes in what he’s doing, and Rod Tidwell, a football player who he hopes will show as much of his heart on the football field as he does for his family. Jerry then looks to resurrect his career while still staying true to himself.
Yes, we are all a product or merchandise that has value. Daily, we exchange portions of our intellect, time, and energy for a wage or salary. Each individual makes their own determination of how much money they will agree to accept in exchange for their abilities. However, what I may personally agree to for a wage doesn’t determine my intrinsic value. A 1960’s Zenith television commercial slogan was, “The quality goes in before the name goes on.” Placing more value on the inside, personally determines the value externally.
Look at building your business with character to attract quality customers whose purchasing power will remain, rather than building the appearance only which contains no substance. Build your family with qualities that creates stability and produce off-spring with good character. Establish relationships that are not predicated on what you can give to each other, but what you can be to one another.
What would you rather have as a business owner, the ability to attract 5,000 customers in a week to buy your product that you know has no real substance, or 500 customers who love your product and service, and who go out and tell their friends about it? In the long run, you will eventually turn 500 happy customers into 500,000 customers over time. Intrinsic qualities will prove to be far more lucrative than outer appearances.
After removing the cosmetics and putting on a few extra pounds, will your spouse want what you use to be or will they still be in love with who you truly are. The quality truly must go in before you think about placing yourself on the market. Remember, all that glitter’s is not gold!
Recommended Reading:
I frequently say, “Readers are leaders and leaders are readers.” I strongly believe this statement; therefore, I have taken the time to recommend reading material that I believe will greatly benefit your life and business endeavors. Click the images to see more information or to order the books from Amazon.com.
Come let’s talk some more about this, comment your thoughts below.
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