How To Be Attractive

We all want to be attractive.  To get to the next level in our lives, we are trying to “attract” people: investors, employees, voters, customers, suppliers, friends, a mate, Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc.  Of course, we need to turn up the attraction far beyond physical beauty and style to reach our goals in today’s hyper-competitive world.

As a venture capitalist, I have the unenviable job of saying no over 200 times more than I say yes.  Yet despite these odds, VC’s are tripping over themselves to invest in the most attractive entrepreneurs.  Here are six key things the most talented entrepreneurs do. They also can be applied to whatever it is you are trying to attract in your own life:

1) Lead with Passion – When you are passionate about your ideas and connected to the purpose behind your mission, your attractiveness goes through the roof.  In the words of military theorist Ferdinand Foch, “The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.”  Amen.

2)  Don’t Fake It – Nowadays, we all have highly developed “bullshit detectors.”  Keep it real.  Authenticity trumps fancy-talk any day. Trust must be earned and can be shattered in an instant.  Stop being apologetic for who you are not, and celebrate who you are.

3)  Be Interested Instead of Interesting – Dale Carnegie had it right – you attract others when you are genuinely interested in them.  Listen more, talk less.  Ask questions and seek to understand.  You’ll be amazed how everyone suddenly wants to be your friend.

4)  Don’t Waiver – If you are second-guessing yourself or your ideas, so will others.  Confidence is the most attractive attribute in any act of persuasion, personal or business.  Stand firm to your beliefs, and in turn, others will gravitate to you.

5)  Be Remarkable – The world doesn’t need another me-too anything.  Whether you’re selling your product, yourself, or your vision, make sure they are unique and compelling.  Dream your own dreams, not a slight variation of someone else’s.

6) Make a Difference – If your idea is a scheme to make piles of cash at the expense of the world, you’ll have an easier time pushing boulders up a mountain.  If you are solving a real human problem and truly working to make the world a better place, it will show and you will shine.

The toll booth to your next level of greatness is likely an upcoming act of persuasion.  Seize these laws of attraction, and you’ll have more pull than a high-powered magnet.  Focus on who you are, and the money, friends, team members, lovers, and supporters will materialize as if they were ordered from Amazon.com.  Overnight delivery.

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