Physical appearance is among the factors to consider if you’re planning to become successful in some industries, like fashion and showbusiness. It shouldn’t matter in an ideal world since your skills and capabilities are enough to become successful in life.
Since we’re living in an ideal world, we should accept that looks do affect our road to success. Attractive people benefit from the “halo effect,” where they are often considered to have several positive traits such as intelligence, selflessness, and stability.
But the question is, how far does appearance play a factor in how successful you become as an entrepreneur. Let’s delve more into this topic.
Perception of Wealth
In the past, people who look good are normally associated with wealth. When people see a handsome man or beautiful woman, they normally associate them with wealth. They would think that they drive fancy cars and live in a luxurious house.
This perception is further boosted if they wear branded clothing. But this isn’t always true. There are instances when people dress this way to allow them to give others the impression that they are wealthy. Even though some entrepreneurs dress to impress, this isn’t always the case.
For instance, some of the most successful and richest individuals in the world wear the same style of clothing when he goes to work every day. The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, wears a grey shirt every day. It might look dull and boring, but he has a reason for this. He wants to focus his energy on his work and doesn’t want to focus on frivolous things like wear every day.
But he is just one of the few exceptions to the rule. Most people consider a person successful if he or she looks good. Whether it’s the way they dress or simply their physical features, an attractive-looking person is more often associated with being affluent and well-off.
Discrimination
Studies have shown that attractive people receive a higher salary compared to their less attractive counterparts. Research has shown that short, obese people earn less compared to tall, slim individuals. This inequality isn’t limited to monetary earnings.
More often, attractive people have a higher chance of getting accepted in higher-status jobs. This situation applies to many age levels. This shows that even if a person has the skills and talents suitable for a position, he will lose out to someone who looks better than him.
Even as this perception happens to both men and women, it is more pronounced among women. This can be the reason why some women go through a breast-lifting procedure for the sake of their careers.
But attractive people might not get everything they want when they go in for an interview. There’s a good chance that they are not given a job offer if the person interviewing them is less attractive. The main reason for this is that interviewers can feel threatened by someone more attractive than them. Due to this, they opt to avoid competing with the applicant by simply passing over them and look for another candidate for the job.
Confidence
Attractive people tend to have more confidence compared to less-attractive people. This is mainly due to the halo effect since they are perceived as intelligent, dominant, and sociable. When they see how others look up to them, their confidence level goes up.
This situation started when they were young kids. Unlike the ugly duckling, they were likely cute and adorable when they were kids. Adults likely praised them for their good looks, which increased their confidence level even when they were still young.
And this attractive appearance stuck with them until they became adults. This aura of confidence stuck with them until they became adults. This confidence also resulted in better social skills. Physical attractiveness also allows people to communicate and socialize better.
Confidence and sociability allow attractive people to have better jobs. Employers also think they are more productive than lesser-attractive people, so they’ll likely earn better and have higher employability.
Positive Reinforcement
Another advantage attractive people have is that they normally receive more positive reinforcement compared to others. This leads to better opportunities for them. For instance, teachers and mentors normally give more support to children who look good. They also show more enthusiasm when talking to attractive-looking kids. Even babies tend to respond better to people who look physically attractive than others who are not as attractive.
Even as attractiveness plays a big factor in a person’s success, it’s not the only factor since hard work and persistence can easily offset appearance when people aim to succeed in life.
