Paul Brian
Certain people command respect when they walk in a room regardless of whether they’re known or not.
Their confident personality shines out, impressing and convincing others that they are somebody to take seriously and listen to with attention.
Here are the signs that you’re one of these people and, if not, some pointers on how to move more in that direction.
1) Your posture is on point
How you carry yourself and stand is a part of your physical personality.
This is how you project yourself in the world and present yourself.
An upright posture, making eye contact and facing those you’re speaking with is behavior that speaks volumes.
It shows that you stand behind everything you say and that you believe in yourself.
Take the same person stooped over, hesitant and fidgeting speaking to a conference room or upright, making eye contact and speaking confidently.
The second scenario will garner a lot more respect and attentiveness!
That brings me to the next point…
2) You project your voice
For years I mumbled and didn’t project my voice.
Then I wondered why I wasn’t being heard or was seen as lacking confidence.
The truth is that these basic things are so incredibly important, and if you have a confident personality it needs to come through in your voice.
Practice speaking in front of a mirror and work on the volume of your voice so you can be clearly heard.
Articulate your words and practice speaking in direct, confident and straightforward ways.
It will lead to others seeing you as a much more confident and respect-worthy individual.
3) You’re purpose driven
There’s a wide gulf behind somebody who’s confident and suave in their demeanor out of practice or habit and somebody who’s charismatic and confident for a reason.
True confidence and charisma can’t be faked, because it comes from having a purpose and following it.
This is part of why some shady salesmen and cult gurus are so effective: as crooked as they might be they do have a purpose: they have a framework that they want you to comply with.
On the more empowering side, you can be purpose-driven in a positive way, offering a vision, a game plan or a strategy for people.
You can do this as a business leader, within your family and friends or in society more widely.
The key is having a purpose: something you truly want to accomplish and do that you can invite others to participate in if they would like.
4) You cut to the point
One of the quickest ways to lose respect and have people see you as unserious is to talk way too much.
It not only uses up people’s valuable time, it confuses them.
I’ve met people I found pleasant, charming and intelligent but who simply wouldn’t stop talking.
I had work to do in many cases and wanted to find a way to politely excuse myself, but my hints often went ignored.
If you have a powerful personality then you’re able to judge people’s attention span and capacity to hear what you’re saying.
You know when to say a bit more and when to hold back.
You do your best to get to the point in whatever you’re doing.
If people want more of your brilliant wit and insights they come to you, you never chase attention or approval.
5) You recognize talent
When other people feel heard and seen by you, they tend to respect you.
This is a reciprocal thing, as you probably also notice that you respect (and like) those who actually give you their attention and respect.
Part of that is the ability to get a “read” on somebody.
If you’re the type of person who can spot someone’s talents or gifts quite quickly and think of ways they could maximize that, it’s extremely helpful to them.
People love this kind of insight that helps them find out where they should go in life, and tend to respond to your insightfulness with gratitude and excitement.
6) You dream big…
It’s hard to be very inspiring or get people’s attention if you play small.
The type of personality that draws real attention and respect is that of a visionary and dreamer.
Even if you’re more on the introverted side, your ability to have a vision you follow and goals in pursuit of it draws people to you.
You have core values that guide this dream of yours and you’re able to help people find their place and role in making it come true.
On a business level, a family level and a society level, this kind of visionary talent is incredibly valuable and transformational in the lives of others.
7) …But you’re pragmatic
There are plenty of big dreamers who get people inspired but then leave them feeling massively let-down when they don’t have any real plan.
You’re not like that:
You care about practicality and you have step-by-step ideas for how to hit your goals.
You’ve taken the time to think through what you want out of life and you’re interested in including the right people in your vision if they also display a similar level of dedication.
8) You don’t give up
In a world where so many people give up on their dreams, people notice somebody who does not.
They notice that you hold firm to your convictions and try again.
You take lessons from failure, but you never let it have the final word.
This is deeply attractive to potential romantic partners, impressive to friends and inspiring to colleagues and acquaintances.
Life’s going to hit all of us with failure and speed bumps now and then, but those who don’t give up end up commanding the respect of everyone around them.
9) You can handle criticism
The weak man or woman rejects all criticism and lashes out.
But the confident and charismatic individual takes criticism and sees if it has any use.
Is there any truth to the criticism? Can it be applied?
Rather than react in an insecure or angry way, you see whether criticism is warranted.
Maybe it’s not random: maybe you can learn something as a person or businessperson by the feedback you’re getting even if your first reaction would otherwise be to push back.
10) You don’t take rejection personally
Rejection hurts everybody whether they admit it or not.
But not everyone takes it personally or makes it a part of their story.
If somebody rejects you or doesn’t want you in their life, their business or their inner circle, that’s their choice.
Your choice is what to do with that.
As a confident person who draws respect and admiration, you face rejection by admitting it hurts but moving on.
It’s got more to do with whoever rejected you than with you.
The powerful personality
The powerful personality is magnetic, purpose-driven and confident.
If this is you, then it’s just the way you operate. It’s become your second nature, and it’s how you handle yourself in every area of your life.
There are many upsides to this, but the best one of all is that more confident and inspiring you are, the more you help other people also raise their own level.
A rising tide floats all boats, and the kind of people who command respect from others raise the respect and accomplishment level everywhere they go.
