Image

The truth is - you can drink fine wine out of either of the vessels shown above. Similarly, you can sail around the world in a personal sailboat or on a cruise ship. Each option has it's own pros and cons and there is a time and a place for the plastic cup and a time and place for the wine glass, etc...

In the world of business, we think about the image of our product, ourselves, our clients, etc...or at least we should. We should strive to provide the best possible product, look our best, align ourselves with successful people, etc...This seems like a no brainer in the business world, but I challenge you to look more closely at your personal image. This is something my father said to me when I was very young: "Punkin, you should always put your best foot forward because you never know who you'll run into and where".

This was very true last evening. There happened to be a very successful gentleman and his lovely wife sitting at a table close to where I was sitting at a local restaurant. The man owns a business (out of state) and he is very successful, smart, witty, and charming. Unfortunately, last night he wasn't the least bit concerned about his image. He had had a few too many glasses of wine and was rude to his wife, impatient with the waitress, kept complaining about the food and service even though they were both fabulous. He even went so far as to be loud, rude, and obnoxious. 

Try as I might, I would never categorize him as polished and he is not someone I would choose to align myself with. Image isn't simply about what we look like or the clothes we buy. Notice I said nothing about the mans clothing - the way you treat others, the words you say, and your body language have a lot to do with the image you create. Choose your personal image as carefully as you choose your professional image and you'll be impressed with the results!

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, and plenty of sunshine ~it's your day, make it everything it should be!

~Crystal

PS - I've been known to drink fine wine from a plastic cup...and guess what? it tastes just as good, but let's save those plastic cups for campfires and boat trips!