Dress The Part

“A costume is something you put on and pretend that you are what you are wearing.  A uniform, on the other hand, reminds you that you are, in fact, what you wear.”

– Eunice McGarrahan

Presbyterian Clergy

One of my grand-children's favorite games is dress up.  My wife and I one year stocked up on Halloween costumes when they went on sale right after Halloween.  That kept them going for some time.  Dress up is fun and good for the imagination.  But what about when you really have to live the role you are going for?  That is when the costume becomes a uniform and a uniform means business.

                Uniforms come in all shaped and designs.  For the business person it can be a man or women's suite, for the cook it is their jacket and hat, for the first responder it would be the uniform of whatever department they were in.  Uniforms help us to know what a person does, they bring with them a degree of respect.  When you see a person in a uniform you know what they do and you expect certain behaviors from them.

                Uniforms do something more as well, the make the person wearing them feel their job.  When you are dressed to do work, no matter what that work is, you feel more confident and prepared.  Your uniform gives you a feeling of authority and skill.  People who dress for their jobs do better, feel better and look better.  Those who wear anything they feel like to the office do not do their best.  Studies have found that office workers, like students, who dress down perform at a lower level than their fellow workers who dress in a professional manner.

                We have see that once dress codes were removed from schools, students grad averages went down.  When you dress to achieve you do better than those who do not.  Simple fact.  Being dress for the job we are doing effects us emotionally and physically.  This is the reason the standards are so high for those in the military, first responders, medical professionals and of course, Scouts.

                Success-minded people know that to do their best they must look their best.  This does not mean that you wear formal wear every day, but it does mean you are clean, neat and look professional.  By taking the time and effort to look professional, you will feel better, people will treat you as a professional and you will have the confidence to be the best at what you do.  It does not take a lot of work but it has a whole lot of benefits.

                You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey