Success Begins With a Smile

Positive personal impact is one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success.  If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things. 1) Create, build and nurture your unique personal brand.  2) Be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line.  3) Know and follow the basic rules of etiquette.

As I was flying from Denver to New York today, I was listening to my iPod.  I have a lot of 60’s music in my collection.  Carole King’s song “You’re Beautiful as You Feel” came up on the shuffle.  If you’re not familiar with this song, the opening lines go something like this…

“You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face
 and show the world all the love in your heart. 
And people are going to treat you better. 
You know, yes they will. 
You’re beautiful as you feel.”

Carole is right on here.  People do treat you better when you smile.  Smiling helps you create positive personal impact.  This morning I proved this to myself by conducting another one of my very unscientific tests again.

I had an early morning flight.  Experience has shown me that at 6:00 in the morning most people who are in airports are pretty grumpy.  I chose to put a smile on my face.  I smiled at the TSA guy who inspected my boarding pass and driver’s license.  I smiled at the TSA woman who waived me through the metal detector.  I smiled at other passengers.  When I got to the gate, I smiled and said hello to the agents.  I smiled and said hello to the flight attendants when I boarded the plane.  I got an upgrade and was sitting in seat 1B.  I smiled at every passenger as he or she boarded.

And you know what?  Almost everyone smile back at me.  Most people nodded or said “hello,” even the TSA folks who are not exactly known for their warmth. 

I realize that the sample size here is way too small and so I have not proven anything statistically.  However, I satisfied myself that a smile is a great way to get people to notice you positively, and to begin creating positive personal impact.

The common sense point here is simple.  Successful people create positive personal impact.  Smiling is a great way to begin creating positive personal impact.  Smiling puts you ahead of the game.  People respond positively to smiling people.  When you smile, you come across as friendly and approachable.  People will want to engage you.  Smiling will help you break the ice and enter into positive conversations with others.  Smiling will help you feel better about yourself.  As Carole King says, “You’re beautiful as you feel.”  Smiling will make you feel beautiful.

That’s my take on the power of a smile and positive personal impact.  What’s yours?  Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us.  I appreciate all of your comments.  As always, thanks for reading.

Bud

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