Oh Sh*t!

(One of the 83 quick and practical life & work lessons from Sh*t Sandwich: Quick & Practical Success Lessons for Practically Anyone.)

Books are Judged by Their Cover

Sorry, sweet pea, but it’s true.

Fairly or unfairly, all humans make judgements of other humans the moment they see them. Whether conducting some primitive threat assessment or a pre-mating ritual, humans are constantly sizing each other up.

“But, Steve, I only see people for who they are on the inside.”

Unless you’re blind, you’re lying to me, to yourself, or to both of us.

Everyone is judged by his or her outward appearance – even if just momentarily – and understanding this will help you make the right choices for your career and personal goals. But, let’s be clear, I’m referring to your book’s superficial cover – the one you can change with just a little effort; a little attention to detail.

• You cannot seem to meet the perfect mate? Look in the mirror and give yourself an honest appraisal of your book’s cover. Could your look be one that intimidates many while attracting the jerks?
• You keep interviewing for jobs and you never get hired? Look at your book’s cover. Does your cover more closely resemble the interviewer or your friends? (Would you hire your friends?)
• Everyone else seems to be getting promoted ahead of you? Look at their books’ covers and honestly compare them to your own. Are there any differences? Could these differences matter?

Clothes, jewelry, hair style, odor, and grooming all matter. As do the dark circles under your eyes and the sloth-like way you walk through the hallways. (Seriously, would you promote you if you were the boss?)

It’s not fair, but it is reality. Your book is going to be judged by its cover; so you can either live with mediocrity or you can take control of your book’s cover and use it to your advantage.

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Sh*t Sandwich is available in paperback at Amazon.com and is free on Kindle Unlimited.