Does Beauty Equal Success?

There was an article written I read that can be found on Economist.com that brings up the argument that better looking people are more successful in just about all aspects of business. The article “The Line of Beauty” mentions that “physically attractive women and men earn more than average-looking ones, and very plain people earn less.” It seems that looks are considered more of an asset than the education you earned to be a success.

We are all told during our educational years, that to enter the professional field we must look the part. The clothes we wear are just the superficial aspect of it though. As humans, we naturally gravitate toward beauty. We would like to think we are above it all, but studies have shown that the majority of us are not. Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle, both economics professors, held a study that concluded that less attractive people earn 5-10% less in all occupations across the board.

Surely when planning your business and focusing on making your company a success the last thing on your mind was how your looks may affect that success. And that is where those thoughts should stay, in the back of your mind. Your professional appeal is important, but maintaining your business goals and seeing to the growth of your company take precedence over how someone else may perceive your facial structure. The bottom line is just that, the bottom line, and if that’s where your focus lies and you continue to see that bottom line grow, well then isn’t that a measure of your success?

Howard Shore is a business growth expert who works with companies that want to maximize their growth potential by improving strategy, enhancing their knowledge, and improving motivation. To learn more about him or his firm please contact Howard Shore at 305.722.7213 or shoreh@activategroupinc.com.