Ever wonder why airlines tell you to put your oxygen mask on first before trying to help your loved ones or fellow passengers put their masks on? The reasoning is quite simple and logical, but the premise is something we often forget to apply to our lives. It’s why the plumber’s house has broken pipes, the mechanic’s car is leaking oil, the hairstylist’s hair is a mess, and the image consultant’s image isn’t so priceless.
You Must Be Your First Buyer
It’s impossible to truly help others without first helping yourself. You can’t expect others to believe in you if you don’t first believe in yourself. You can’t expect others to see value in something if you treat the same something as expendable in your own life. Are you, fellow consultants, taking your own wisdom and advice to heart? If not, do you really think your clients are doing it?
As image consultants, we speak extensively on the power of image, perception, and reflection. We offer services to help achieve a client’s unique, ideal image. We explain how this type of branding is the key to professional and personal success. There’s an infinite amount of priceless information and advice we can give to clients across all walks and stages of life but are we at a point in life where we are taking our own words to heart? If not, you’re missing so many opportunities and stifling your own success.
If it’s so priceless, then why have you let your own image fall to the wayside? Ask yourself what you’re doing to keep your own image fluid and at its best version:
• How are you investing in yourself to be the best you possible?
• Are you networking with peers and mentors?
• Are you doing all you can to learn more, know more, and offer more?
• Are you sharpening your skills by staying in the stream of industry news?
• Are you promoting yourself by being part of professional organizations?
• Are you keeping the promises you make to yourself?
• Does what you portray on the outside match your standards, goals, purpose, joy, and highest sense of self… and vice versa?
We talk a lot about loving, knowing, and respecting yourself so that your confidence can shine brightly within your image. Introspect requires courage and commitment, though. You know that your clients deserve this type of freeing transparency, but do you realize that you deserve it, too? You do, and you’ll serve your clients so much more efficiently and effectively when you give your own image the TLC it needs to thrive.
Tips To Get It Done
Use these four simple tips to ensure you’re committed to applying your craft to your own image:
1. Just do it. Your journey will naturally become part of your experience that you can share with others, which leads to greater empathy and honest dialogue.
2. Adopt a no-excuses policy. The absolute most important thing in your life is you. Every other factor can drift away, but you will always be the last thing that remains. Say no to anything else, but never say no to your own needs.
3. Be honest with yourself. You are not the exception to the rule just because you’re the rule-keeper.
4. Never ask others what you aren’t willing to do for yourself. Use self-analysis to avoid becoming the dreaded hypocrite.
In closing, no one knows how influencing an image is better than an image consultant. Be the change you aspire to make in the lives of others. In doing so, you’ll easily find yourself living your best life and watching proudly as your clients do the same.
