You have magnetic charisma, regardless of whether you make a run for office. And if that is not evident to you or your friends, it is because there are things going on in your life that keep others from seeing it or knowing it is there. In this lesson, you’ll learn what needs to be done to unleash your natural passion, let your energy flow, and make yourself that naturally magnetic person you already are.

A story about one of the most charismatic people I have ever known:

I met him when I was 15. He was my high school football coach. I was not a natural athlete. I never started on game day, and I certainly was never a star on the team.

But to this day Coach Leath remains one of my icons because of who he was. He knew my name and never forgot it. He wore a smile. He had a maniacal devotion to winning. He demanded the best from his players on the field and in practice. He got things out of us that we did not know we had in us.

It was a small high school, but Coach Leath took a group of underrated kids from rural Indiana to a State Championship and won. Because he had an uncanny ability to inspire, motivate, and make his players better than they knew they could be, to pull from deep inside things they did not know they could do.

You already know someone like that, because you’ve seen it. They change the temperature of the room the second they enter the doorway. Quickly, heads start to turn, and suddenly everybody is looking at them, anxious to shake their hand and say hello.

We call that magnetic charisma, and you have it too though you may not know it.

It starts with the way you look. People make judgments about who you are and whether you are worth talking to before a word is exchanged or conversation initiated. What are the first things they notice? Your face. Your clothes. Your hair. Your posture. And what is on your face, on your body, on the top of your head, and the posture you carry starts with what is inside of you.

If you don’t like yourself, you won’t care about the way you look or what you wear. If you are an angry person mad at the world, it will be in your eyes and written on your forehead. If you have no pride in who you are or what you do, you won’t bother to be well-groomed. If you are depressed, that will show in your posture. All of those will deprive you of your natural charisma and magnetism. You need to foster your magnetic charisma before making a run for office.

Some observations about people I know who are naturally charismatic:

• They like who they are.
• They eat balanced meals.
• They work out or exercise on a regular basis.
• They are always well dressed because they know they will feel better and look better if they are.
• They do not drink excessively.
• They read books and newspapers, and are always up to date on current events.
• They hang around with accomplished and purpose driven people, and delight in spending time with those who are extraordinarily talented.
• They set goals and meet them.
• They wake up with a purpose, a list of things they intend to accomplish each and every day, and they have a 30 day, 90 day, 6 month and 12 month plan for what they intend to accomplish.
• They take pride in their work, volunteer and professional, and no matter the task, strive to meet their deadlines and excel in their work.
• They feed themselves spiritually and mentally. You’ve heard the term you are what you eat. Eat a constant diet of junk food and you will not feel well or look your best. Hang around with losers and you will become one. Starve the spiritual component that is inherent to human nature and you will be constantly malnourished.

These are some of the basics, and if you want your natural charisma to show, you need to get those right first.

Those who are advanced in the field of natural attraction also have the following characteristics:

• They are proud of who they are, what they have accomplished, but they don’t wear it on their sleeve.
• They listen more than they talk. A lot more. In fact, after you have a conversation with them you’ll feel like you told half your life story and learned very little about them.
• They are authentic and genuine, and quick to complement others.
• When they meet people, they look them in the eye, and firmly shake their hand. They remember names. Their body language suggests a genuine interest in others, and they maintain eye contact during a conversation, no matter how many people are in the room.
• They do not engage in gossip, or denigrate or belittle other people.
• They never see a glass half empty. To them it is always half full.
• They are calm when surrounded by chaos.
• They are a source of inspiration and energy when those around them are silent and dejected.
• They never dwell on the past or what might have been. They regard failure as a learning experience, and yet another step toward success.
• They surround themselves with people who nourish their confidence, and encourage them to excel.
• They are always engaged in and devoted to a cause that is bigger than them.
• Above all else, and most important, they have discovered their passion and are unafraid to live it.

When you meet someone like I just described, you know it because they give off a glow, their personalities are magnetic, and you want to spend more time with them.

Charismatic people can be found in lots of places, not just among those who run for office. And it is not hard to spot them. Do yourself a favor and make sure your circle includes people like them and you will naturally begin to acquire those traits.

I should mention something else that is often ignored about having a magnetic personality. When you have one it is a lot easier to recruit volunteers, attract support and raise money. It is a lot easier to win an election if that comes naturally.

Now a word about you. It would be easy after hearing what I just said to begin comparing yourself to other people, or to think that you must act like someone else. Don’t do that.

Our creator did not make us to emulate other people. Part of what makes you who you are is that you are not like anyone else. No one else has your eyes, or your voice. Nobody has traveled your journey. Nobody has your story. Nobody is as fitted as you to tell your story, to speak your truth, to write your book, to make your mark, or to better the lives of others in the unique way that only you can.

Answering your call, advancing the cause you were born to serve is the key that will unlock your natural magnetism.

That is what will make you radiant, attractive, and a source of strength to all you encounter.

You will never know your real passion by living life in the safe lane. The world if full of unhappy people who do that every day. They are wedded to their material possessions, or their predictable routine, or some silly notion of status. They live lives of quiet desperation, measure their worth solely by the size of their bank account, or the number of toys they own. Those kinds of people are not living. They are merely existing.

That is not why your creator put you on earth. When you were born you were endowed with a spirit, a sense of adventure, and a natural inclination to make this world a better place for all of God’s children. Answer it. When you do you will come alive and you’ll never have to fake being the charismatic person you already are.

For more information about my new on-line course on How to Run for Office, email Jay@JayTownsend.com. Subject Line: Course.

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