Everyone is self conscious. Its a universal condition. I was lucky my mother told me when I was very young that all you have to do is listen to people and make them feel comfortable. I grew up poor, my father was always trying to build a business and pretty much never took salary or a few hundred dollars a week.

Thank god there was no designer brands when I was in High School. That phenomena started in the seventies by Ralph Lauren, so I didnt have that pressure. I do remember my grey gym uniform got washed with my sisters red sweatshirt, so I had a pink gym uniform for 3 years. No one was spending $10 for a new tshirt, shorts and sweats, it was out of the question. My mother didnt have any designer clothes, but as my father’s business grew successful, they landed up going to the nicest hotels in the world, for business conferences. My mother with whatever dress she made or inexpensive off the rack clothes she had was present to the fact that everyone is so busy being self conscious, all you have to do is make them feel comfortable and they will love you for it.

So move over Anthony Robbins, my mom was a brilliant guru in influence mastery. To this day I do my best to not look too shitty before I leave the house, for about 5 minutes. But when its go time, I remind myself, my only job is to look at other people and notice them, not be worried about if I have a nose hair or something out of place, because they are so busy worrying about something I dont see, that they dont see my perceived imperfection. It was truly inspirational advice and I wanted to share that with you. Assuming you dont walk out of the toilet with toilet paper hanging from your pants or dress, no one will notice your perceived imperfection. I am reminded about how every teenager was so self conscious if they had one pimple.

Again I am also so happy that I pretty much got lucky in that area, but you know what I love even more? If you are the CEO of a trillion dollar company the dress code is black t shirt, Whoo hoo! Nothing could make me happier. Remember the old advice if you are giving a speech picture the audience naked? Well I say picture them all sitting on a toilet trying to squeeze one out, because every single one of us and them have been there.