I was lucky enough to have the
opportunity to have dinner and listen to one of the most inspirational people I
have ever met, Mr. Jonathan Kernion, the President of Cycle Construction. The dinner was filled with
questions, laughter, encouraging advice, motivational words and even a few
tears from touching stories. This is the first business dinner I have ever
attended and I can honestly say it went above and beyond my expectations.
It was nerve-racking knowing I was going to be in the presence of such
accomplished people, but their welcoming personalities and intriguing stories
helped me become comfortable and made the night flow smoothly. I knew it was an exceptional night when I
realized there was never any complete silence in the conversation.
One particular story that stood out to
me was when Mr. Kernion spoke about the importance of looking good for yourself. This story took
place during a time in his life when was doing construction at Tulane
University in New Orleans. Curious of
the financial side of the construction business, Mr. Kernion, dressed in a suit
and tie, strolled into the Business School to ask about enrolling in some
business courses. The man asked if Mr.
Kernioin would be interested in pursuing his MBA. With a smile, Mr. Kernion
replied that he did not have a college degree.
Surprised by his answer, the man responded, “Well you look pretty smart.”
Mr. Kernion still had a smile on his
face as he proceeded to explain the meaning of the story. He put his suit on that morning because he wanted to. Mr. Kernion had previously struggled with his
self-identification and had encountered difficult situations throughout his
life. He decided that the only way to
persevere through the hard times was to work on his self-esteem. One step he integrated into his life was
wearing a suit, so when he looked in the mirror he saw a confident man that
deserved success. Simply speaking, Mr.
Kernion felt good because he physically looked good.
A few years prior to this "dress
to impress... yourself," mentality, Mr. Kernion felt broken and unsure of
his capability of success. This small change has been very beneficial for
him.
This story, to me, showed the importance
of inner confidence. It doesn't matter
what people think of you. What does
matter is what you think about yourself. If you do
not believe in yourself, how can you expect other people to?
As I continue on my journey in the
MSBA program, I realize that I have developed a new found confidence because of
my business attire. I am enrolled in this program to grow as a businesswoman,
and the change in attire makes me feel like a businesswoman.
I'm so grateful for the chance to hear
the fascinating stories Mr. Kernion shared. He has inspired me and has helped me figure
out that in order to grow I need to believe in myself because if I believe in
myself and I know I can accomplish a goal, I will accomplish
it.
Love this story!! Sounds familiar... where could I have heard this before?? hmmmmm. All jokes aside, it is true though. If you look confident and feel confident in how you look, an employer will take notice of that and how you look on paper may not be as big a factor. Remember, hiring attitude is just as important as talent.
ReplyDeleteInspirational to say the least. I see it as a way go psyching yourself up for an occasion. By looking the part, you give yourself an extra boost of confidence, and then anyone who sees you acknowledges your confidence and preparedness even before you say a word.
ReplyDeleteVictoria, I LOVED this story! I've never been to a business dinner, but I would very much like to go to one. It is fascinating how a simple change in your appearance can make you feel completely different about yourself, and how others see you because of that. I'm pretty sure my undergraduate outfits to class consisted of sweatpants and a t-shirt almost every day. However, I was also 18 then. That doesn't seem so long ago, but I didn't improve my attire until about junior or senior year of college. Maybe it was the fact I was more mature, maybe it was because of my different internships, but I mostly think it was because I started to care about how I looked, because of how it made me feel, I just never took the time to put two and two together. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have the confidence of a businesswoman, Victoria!
Great story and experience. If you feel good about yourself, others will pick up on that. I forget where I heard this but someone said that a man's suit should make him feel like a prince, and it should say don't judge me, love me.
ReplyDeleteVictoria! This story really resonated with me, as well. Something about getting up every day and making yourself look presentable and put-together absolutely strengthens self-confidence. I've always liked the saying, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have" - which is pretty applicable here. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Victoria! This topic is something I have always believed in. Getting dressed at the beginning of the day, is so much of a mental attitude. Of course, looking put-together projects to others around you that you care, but more importantly it can give you self-confidence and help put you into the right frame of mind to actually care about what you are doing. It is like reverse psychology. Dressing well is a sign of respect for yourself and for the occasion, but can help you to evoke an attitude of respect in your behavior, even if you might not really be feeling it at the time.
ReplyDelete