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Date: Thursday, 12 Nov 2009 20:49

Hey everyone,

Jae here. I’ve been super busy with the new projects I’m working on, but I’ve been getting tons of e-mails asking about style consultations.

So I’ve decided that for a limited time, I’ll be offering a special consultation deal for Kinowear readers only.

As the weather becomes colder, we can become a lot more creative with our outfits through layering. This is a great time to get an expert’s help to take all the guesswork of getting your wardrobe and outfits together.

New research shows that the opinions we form in the first few minutes after meeting someone play a major role in determining the course of the relationship.

Almost all of that first impression is based on the way we look.

Here are just a few benefits you’ll receive from an image consultation:

  • Save money by learning how to shop smart. Looking good doesn’t have to be super expensive. You’ll be taken to stores that match your budget, and get expert help on where to find attractive items for less.
  • Make your best first impression. Whether for dating or for work, the consultation will give you pure confidence that you’re making your best impression.
  • Complete confidence in your style. Discover your sense of style and how to express your personality through your outfits.
  • Body language and vocal training! Go beyond fashion and get constructive feedback on speech and how to be more charming.

What clients are saying:


“My style consultation with Jae got me a lot more than just good clothes, it taught me a whole new set of skills that I had never appreciated before. I learned what a great fit should feel like, which colors work well for me and which ones don’t, as well the best way to shop for new things – along with a bunch of other useful hints and pieces of advice. That I think is the best part of the consultation; it’s not just going to benefit you right now, the things you learn here are going to help you out forever. As for the results, every new outfit I’ve worn has gotten tons of compliments from men and women. I wish I had known about this a long time ago, I could have saved a ton of money on clothes that don’t work for me, and been looking great the whole time!” – John B.


“Working with Jae was one of the best investments I’ve ever made. I came in THINKING I had style, and left KNOWING I had style. He shows you how to cultivate the image of the guy that gets approached by women naturally… the guy that girls just WANT to be with…and once you’ve got Jae on your team, you’ve got a friend – and stylist – for life. Bottom line is this: Work with Jae, do whatever it takes – he’ll crank your “hotornot” score up by 5 pooints and turn you into the type of guy that has girl whispering to each other… “is he a celebrity?” – John A.


“I wore one of the outfits the other day and I felt like a supermodel. Women were looking me up and down – it was a great feeling…I was getting compliments I wasn’t used to – this kind of attention is a problem I definitely don’t mind having.” – Paul H.

“I have received positive feedback from more than one person or positive looks on every single clothing item which we purchased together in NYC… It’s so interesting to see a woman walking by, seeing my shoes and then checking me out from the bottom-up smiling.. So, thanks again for the excellent consultation.” – Dominique S.

“I liked the fact that Jae was always trying to build my skillset in recognizing what worked for me and why, instead of just telling me what he liked or didn’t like. I felt like he was trying to develop my own ability so that I would be able to develop my own style/fashion sense for the future. That is so much more valuable than having him just tell me what to wear/buy. I would certainly recommend Kinowear consultations to anyone, regardless of their “fashion level.” I think Jae has the ability to work with people with little fashion sense, and those that are more advanced. He certainly challenged me to experiment with things that were beyond my comfort zone… the value for the level of service is phenomenal.” – Mike L.


“Being a young executive I had the challenge of balancing being professional while still maintaining an edge. With Jae’s help I’ve found an amazing balance and am constantly complemented on my style and fashion sense by both men and women. Jae is my go to guy whenever I need a second opinion on my wardrobe or style in general. I first heard of Jae through a New York actor friend who has been a client of Jae’s for years. I was a bit hesistant at first since I would have to travel to NYC from DC but it was well worth the time and expense. I would gladly have paid 4x as much for the full session. Well beyond my expectations. I can’t recommend him enough.” – Hersh S.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: First 20 to inquire about a consultation will get a free phone consultation and $100 off their consultation fee if they sign up.


So if you’re interested in a consultation, send an e-mail to Kinowear@gmail.com and you will get a personal e-mail response from me!


Looking forward to speaking with you,

Jae


Author: "admin" Tags: "Coaching"
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Date: Thursday, 27 Aug 2009 09:25

After being in Seoul for almost five months, the Kinowear team has seen and found new paths of development. It was awesome running into fans of the website in random places, giving seminars, getting interviewed on radio, and even having our own page of fashion tips in a magazine.

We’ve found so much new inspiration and opportunity while here in Korea through the people we’ve met, the ideas that were born, and the new doors that have opened up. So much is going on that we have our hands full with all the new exciting projects, and so I’m writing this as my last post for awhile.

I thank all the readers for your support and encouraging words! We love everyone for sticking with us and I hope you had as much fun reading our website as we did writing for it. We’ll be checking every now and then into the forums.

This isn’t goodbye forever, just maybe for awhile.  We are actually working on something much more exciting than Kinowear.com and we will keep you updated when we come back with even greater things to offer you.

This website will always be a huge resource for everyone to read. So for that you can go to our archives, or look below for some of my personal favorites and Kinowear’s greatest hits. I’ve categorized them for you for easy access.

Fashion

What Asia Taught Me About Casual Style

How To Tie A Tie: The Pursuit Of The Perfect Knot

The Basics You Need to Know About Color Coordinating Your Outfit

What is Style? (A Deeper Analysis)

40 Common Men’s Fashion Mistakes to Avoid

BFD: Bad Fit Disease

Finding The Perfect Suit

Best Hairstyles for Your Face Shape

How to Find the Right Pair of Sunglasses

5 Tips To Dramatically Improve Your Style


Self-improvement

How to Build Unstoppable Confidence

Three Keys to Being a Successful Leader

Why Passion Is So Attractive

Building an Attractive Personality

How to Make Genetics Irrelevant in Attraction

How to Captivate an Audience

Taking Off The False Mask

 

Favorite Lookbooks

4 Looks You Can Try This Season

Kinowear Lookbook: #1

Kinowear Lookbook: #3

Kinowear Lookbook: #4

Kinowear Lookbook: #6

Kinowear Lookbook: #15

 

Body Language/Vocal Projection

Eliminating Unattractive Body Language

Eye Contact: Gateway to a Man’s Strength

Vocal Projection

How to Improve your Vocal Projection in 30 days

 

Please check out our archives for so many more great articles!

And until you hear from us again,

Stay hungry for growth.

Jae & Ben

Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "News"
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Date: Monday, 10 Aug 2009 15:19

 

What is a Mastermind?

The term “Master Mind” comes from Napoleon Hill’s famous book Think and Grow Rich in which he defines the term as a

… coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

He says that this “… form of alliance has been the basis of every great fortune [or success].”

It’s a support group of like-minded people who collectively brainstorm ideas, strategies, techniques and concepts to help you move forward in any area of life.

You can build a mastermind group focused around ministry, networking, making money, better relationships, better physical fitness, or anything else that may be of interest to you.


Why Should I Make One?

It’s not easy to reach a huge goal by yourself. Don’t get me wrong, it’s totally possible with hard work and persistence, but 80% of the time and effort you will spend on non-important things can be eliminated, with the help of other people who have the same objective in mind.

When you’re working alone, it’s easy to become sidetracked, overwhelmed, or give up altogether after a few failed attempts at pushing through the pain periods.

Picture trying to figure out how to climb a mountain alone. With all the obstacles you will face and nobody around, you could easily get hurt, trapped, or die. With one or more people, you’re going to be able support each other, show the other person easier routes they didn’t realize, and work together every step of the way.

Similar to this kind of support, when two or more minds come together in pursuit of a common goal or objective, you will see exponential results. And the more bright minds you bring together focused on one definite purpose, the more results you will see.

It’s almost as if 2 minds coming together equals 4 minds. And 4 minds coming together creates 16 minds.

There is immeasurable power that comes from a mastermind group, and it has the potential to propel you halfway toward your goal object before you even begin to recognize it.

So How Do I Create One?

Before you form a mastermind, you need to be very clear on what you want your mastermind group to focus around.

Maybe it’s getting your body into shape and you want to create a workout group.
Maybe you want to work on the relationships and dating part of your life.
Maybe you want to build your own business or make a certain amount of money.
Maybe you want to get really good at a sport or a hobby.

Or it could even be a mastermind focused on quality on all areas of life, touching about all these things and more.

Whatever your most important purpose is, find people who are just as passionate about it as you are, and discuss with them about creating a mastermind to help each other get there more quickly and effectively.

Which brings us to the next question …

What kind of people should I create a mastermind with?


It’s very important who you choose to be in a mastermind with you, the wrong people will waste your time and may not contribute anything.

Here are some highly recommended traits you should look for in a person before thinking about creating a mastermind with them.

  • Positive attitude
  • Honesty
  • Integrity
  • Self-discipline
  • Accountability
  • Persistence
  • Intelligence
  • Proactive
  • Social
  • Results-oriented
  • Action-oriented
  • Growth-oriented
  • Track record of results
  • Great listening and communication skills
  • Knows how to give good constructive feedback
  • Self-confident and has a desire to push others to excel

They don’t have to have every single one of these, but the more the better.

It’s very important that each person is positive, and offers value to the rest of the group. A person in your mastermind shouldn’t just sit there, soak up all the tips and value that other people give, and leave without giving anything in return.

Each member should be self-directed and take their own initiative. They come to each meeting with new realizations and insights to share, and they should give honest and constructive feedback to the other members.

A mastermind meeting is not a time for mere socializing. It’s not a time to complain about life or feel sorry for yourself. Everyone in the group must be self motivated, positive, proactive and have a desire to support others in reaching their goals.


What are Some Practical Steps Towards Creating One?

Ask a friend “Hey, I am starting a group of people to discuss, share, and support each other on the topic of (insert whatever it is you want to focus on here), would you have any interest in it?”

If they ask you about the benefits of joining this group, here are some of them:

  • To keep each other accountable so we don’t get sidetracked
  • To share insights and new knowledge that can help everyone in the group move towards their goals faster and more effectively
  • To solve problems with combined brain power
  • To drive and motivate each other with friendly competition
  • To have fun working towards a common objective and enjoying the process

Criteria for operation

While every mastermind may be different, here are some things that will ensure you get the most out of your mastermind group.

Meet at least once a week, and if you can’t meet in person, make sure you do the next best thing. For example, video chat, or have a phone conference. If you’re usually on your computer and can’t meet in person, an online phone program like Skype can be downloaded and used as a way to call each other without charge.

It’s imperative that you meet weekly. You can meet up with each other more during the week if you have time, and some goals will even require that you do if it’s something that you must practice or work on together.

Keep each other accountable. At the end of each week, tell each other what you’ve accomplished, and discuss any setbacks or failures. Discuss how you can do better the next time, and give each other constructive feedback. Share your goals and objectives for the next week so you can continue to keep each other accountable.

Share as much value as you can. During the week, write down all your realization and insights, as well as new important knowledge you gained that you could share and discuss with the group.

Build a strong group that will last. You can create a mastermind with 2 or more people, but if you really want to set yourself up for serious success I recommend aiming for at least 10 people. There is no limit, you can create a group of more if you’d like, but don’t get too ahead of yourself.

The reason why 10 is good because people will inevitable move location, or fall out of the group for other reasons, and you don’t want the group to fall apart. You want to create the group for great success, and stay together for years.


Here is a short guideline for how a meeting should be held:

Although a mastermind group can be held online or on the phone, the best way to connect and support is to meet face to face.

Consistency is the lifeblood of a mastermind group. So choose a date and time of the week for meeting that everyone can make. Also, pick a place where everyone can easily meet.

Every single person should come to a meeting prepared to contribute to others. The more everyone gets value and relies on each other, the stronger the group will be.

Meetings should start and end promptly. Meetings should last no less than one hour and should not exceed 90 minutes. Every member should be punctual and let other people know if they can’t make it to a meeting. Absence should only be tolerated if they have an unavoidable appointment. If a member is finding it really hard to make time, they should be prepared to step down and start their own group at a time that is better for them.

Should be in a quiet area without any interruptions. Avoid noisy cafes, restaurants, and turn off your cell phones and other electronic devices. You want to be able to focus solely on the meeting. Library conference rooms are really good. The point is to be have a short and highly productive meeting and then end it (this is really important if you want it to last).

Everyone should have each other’s contacts. Supporting each other throughout the week by e-mail and phone is highly encouraged.

I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, or just read chapter 10 on masterminding. Research of over 500 majorly successful people throughout history has shown that they used the aid of a mastermind group in some way or form.

There is no other better way to gain the type of power that comes from a mastermind group. Start getting a group together immediately if you want to move a hundred times faster towards your greatest goals.

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Monday, 20 Jul 2009 06:26

Hey everyone,

In the midst of juggling lots of projects, clients, and writing and developing new material for the readers, focusing mainly on the blog, I haven’t had time to be on the forums for awhile.

This is unacceptable to me because I think the forums is one of the best places that I can really answer your questions and where all the readers can discuss and share some great wisdom and knowledge.

So what I want to do for the rest of this month instead of posting another article is to spend as much time as I can on the forums. I’ll be doing this until August 1st and then I’ll be posting articles up again.

I’m going to be on the forums every day, every chance that I get to answer any of your questions, and I will share and write there as well.

So join me on the forums!

www.kinowear.com/forums

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Coaching"
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Date: Sunday, 12 Jul 2009 12:25

While I’ve already written an article about vocal projection, I don’t feel like I gave enough practical exercises that really work in helping one to improve their voice tremendously.

This article is strictly going to be about some of the best exercises and techniques you can use to transform your voice in 30 days.


Committing to 30 days of focus

Is this an area you feel that you need some work on?

If your answer is yes, make a decision that for the next 30 days you will put your focus on improving the quality of your voice. It takes 30 days to create a new habit, so if you truly commit to following what is in this article, you will see lasting improvements.

I’ve researched and tested tons of exercises and techniques in my journey to improve my own voice quality. I’ll share the most practical and helpful things that worked for me.

As I wrote in my Vocal Projection article, the power and clarity at which you speak is one of the most overlooked aspects of highly effective and attractive communication; yet it’s one of the most important.

So let’s get to the exercises.

The first exercise is a simple but super effective in refining your voice.

Recording your voice

The best way to start strengthening your voice is to bring in some awareness of what you’re beginning with.

The way that other people hear our voice it is a bit different that how we hear it. The first time I heard the way I talked on a home video, I was surprised at the sound of my voice.

So all you need for this exercise is something to record your voice with, and if you don’t have one you can use your computer or the video capture part of your digital camera. Just make sure that whatever is recording your voice will play it back with substantial quality.

I have an application on my cell phone that I use to record my voice. For those of you who have a cell phone with this feature, I have found that this works pretty well for this exercise.

With your voice recorder, press the record button and pretend you’re having a conversation with one of your friends or coworkers on the phone. It’s important here to speak like you normally do when you’re not thinking about your voice.

After you have finished recording, play it back and measure yourself from a scale of 1-10 in each of these areas (I recommend getting a friend to rate you because we tend to rate ourselves higher):

There are three key areas that you should focus on. For practical purposes, if you cover these three areas than you really cover everything you need for your best voice.


Clarity/enunciation
(1-10)

Is your voice clear and sharp or do you slur your words?

Some great exercises to practice clarity and enunciation is to:

  • Exaggerate the mouthing of the words you are saying
  • Place a pencil horizontally in your mouth between your teeth and read in a clear understandable voice
  • Record or practice saying tongue twisters out loud until each word is clearly audible

Energy/Volume (1-10)

Volume and energy are naturally intertwined, because when you speak with energy and confidence in your voice, the volume of your voice naturally rises with it to meet the situation.

This is very important because people who inject energy and expression into their voices are though to be more creative, confident, and credible. When you don’t pepper what you’re saying with expression and emotion, you risk losing the attention of the listener. And a monotone delivery can make you come off as boring or nervous.

Listening to your recording..

  • Do you feel that your voice exudes power and confidence?
  • Does your voice express a healthy amount of energy and exuberance?
  • Does you sound certain or confident?
  • Does you sound passionate or excited?

Rate yourself higher for these positive traits.

Rate yourself lower for things like low energy, sounding tired, stuttering, and uncertainty.

For example, when you’re at a restaurant or public setting, do you have to constantly repeat yourself or forcefully raise your voice?

If so, there is work to be done in this area.

Resonance (1-10)

Do you wish your voice had a deeper, richer, rounder sound? Resonance is what makes your voice sound richer and more masculine.

Our “box” for resonating(or vibrating) sound  is the chest, throat, mouth, and nasal cavities. Because we all vary in size, we all sound different.

Try this exercise: Make a high pitched noise, and slowly go down into a deeper sound. You’ll feel your voice resonate from your throat down to your diaphragm. This is where the bass lies.

Studies have shown that women find men with deeper voices more attractive. You don’t need to sound like Barry White but you should work on speaking deeper if your voice is very high pitched or squeaky. Ask a good friend where you range on the 1-10 scale. 1 sounding like Alvin and chipmunks, and 10 sounding like the movie trailer guy. Okay maybe not exactly, but you get the point.


Working it into your life:

Within these thirty days, think of habits you can build that will keep you working on your voice consistently. I record daily memos and reminders on my phone, and this is how I consistently monitor the sound and strength of my voice daily without really thinking about it.

If you don’t take this kind of consistent action, it WILL revert back to your comfortable, old voice.

Another thing that I like to do is to talk out loud whenever I’m alone or whenever I get a chance. If you’re driving in your car, talk to yourself out loud. Also, with the amount of texting and e-mail people do these days, some people can go a whole day without speaking a word to people.

This is not for you, instead of texting that person back and forth, call them and settle it on the phone. Instead of writing someone a long e-mail, just call them and tell them the main points. Instead of just asking for milk in your coffee, start a conversation with the barista at the cafe.

Visualization Exercise

This is a simple but powerful visualization tool that you can use daily:

Every time you are talking to someone, imagine that when you speak, you can actually see the sound waves traveling towards the direction you are facing.

I like to visualize them in waves shaped like rings (like the picture above), but you can visualize them however you want.

So imagine it like this:

The volume of your voice determines how wide your sound “rings” or waves are. This enables a wider range of people to hear what you are saying.

Your enunciation and the sharpness in your voice determines the strength of the rings. Picture blowing smoke rings – when you speak with more strength picture the rings being more solid and thick rather than loose and wispy.

A great way to cover all areas is to imagine that the person you are talking to has ears in the back of their head. Imagine that the only way that they can hear you is if you bounce your voice off the wall behind them, so that it enters their ears. So throw your voice at the wall behind them like a ball that will bounce back.

You shouldn’t be yelling, but just making sure you can be heard.

I always visualize a target 20 feet ahead of me, and throw my voice AT the target, imaginging hitting it with my voice.

A great way to practice this is to talk to your friend across a city street, and have a conversation while walking on opposite sides of the street.

I use the 20 feet target visualization when I’m in a crowded place and it’s really loud, or when I’m outside in a city area. I bring it down to 10 feet when I’m in a quieter place.

Of course, you have to practice adjusting your vocal projection to the setting you are in. But if somebody says you are being too loud, then take it as a compliment, and calibrate accordingly. If you’ve never been told to quiet down, perhaps you want to make it your goal to hear that within the next 30 days.


Setting yourself up for success

Even though studies show that it takes 30 days to lock in a new habit, it does not mean that after 30 days, you will automatically be “fixed” and you don’t have to think about it anymore. What matters is the kind of habits you build. The habits you create should be ones that make you inevitably improve the strength of your voice every single day.

These habits include warming up your voice in the car on the way to meeting your friends, consistently recording yourself and talking outloud, and any habits that will consistenly help you build your most powerful communication tool.

Also, work on your voice gradually. If you try to change your voice completely, not only will your friends look at you like you’re on something, it’s going to be really hard to keep up.

Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Sometimes it’s dehydration that makes your voice sound weak or hoarse.

Speak from your belly. When you speak, you should be feeling the power come from your belly area, through your lungs, and not just from your throat.

After your have finished your 30 days, come back and send me some of the realizations you’ve had about your voice, any improvements you’ve made, and anything else you want to share in the comment section! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Monday, 06 Jul 2009 14:49

Hey guys,

The reason why the Kinowear posts have been less frequent this month is because I’ve been working on launching a new series of articles.

There’s a lot of conceptual stuff out there on the net about becoming a more attractive man. However, what we need is more ways that we can really practice and apply it to our lives.

I’ve decided to do lots of research, testing, and experimentation to bring you a highly interesting and fun series of articles that will help you transform who you are in a positive way.

There will be loads of new guiding exercises, tools, and great tips to help you become more attractive and build better relationships.

So get excited for what’s coming!

If you haven’t subscribed to our newsletter yet, do so now, it only takes a few seconds. This way you can get the full articles straight to your e-mail when they come out.

Stay tuned! The first article will be coming by the end of this week!

Jae

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Monday, 29 Jun 2009 02:55

A huge part of a man’s attractiveness comes from his ability to lead.

Will Smith is one of the most respected and loved actors in the entertainment business, and a true leader in his field. The reason why he is so successful is because he has the most important traits that that all great leaders have.

In this article, I’ll talk about three of these most important traits. Let’s get to it.


1. Being a Great Decision Maker

The first and most important trait of a great leader is a high level of decision making skill.

Destiny is not a matter of chance. It’s a matter of choice. Or in other words, our reality is simply a result of the decisions we have made.

…Just DECIDE, what it’s going to be, who you’re going to be, and how you’re going to do it, just DECIDE, and then from that point, the universe is going to get out of your way, it’s like water…” - Will Smith

Are you someone that is good at making decisions throughout your day? Or do you keep delaying things that need to be settled, worked out, or acted upon?

I see more and more men who settle to just flow with the crowd without taking the time to decide what they want, wondering why they are unhappy most of the time. And when it comes down to making some decisions, they are busier thinking up excuses why they can’t do something, instead of trying to figure out how they can do it.

The man who isn’t constantly making important decisions in his life has no vision, and with no vision there aren’t strong goals, and without goals, there is no progress — only mediocrity at best.

When it comes to making an important decision, you should have no hesitation to get out a piece of paper and a pen, sit down with a cup of coffee, and spend however long it takes to work it out. It should be second nature.

When a man can lead himself in his personal goals, he can be an attractive leader in social situations and in business. When friends don’t know what to do or where to go, a leading man steps up and is the first to suggest something. At work, when everyone is waiting for orders from the boss, he thinks about the company’s most important objectives and takes the necessary steps to get everyone moving.

He shapes his reality by deciding what, why, and how things are going to happen.

“But what if you make the wrong choice or decision?”

Too many people are on the fence for way too long because they are afraid of making a bad decision. But the biggest mistake is always trying so hard not to make any.

It’s important to do as much of your homework before making an important decision, but it’s even more important to just launch and get things moving. Too many people get stuck trying to make sure everything is perfect before they take the first step. And people who never take the first step, never takes the second; getting no where near what they want.

Recently, I learned that a perfectly straight line does not exist in nature. Even if you put a straight line under a microscope, there are jagged edges that go in different directions. It’s only when you zoom out that it looks straight. Just like in nature, a straight line towards our desired destination does not exist either.

For example, when a pilot is flying a plane towards a destination, they never go in a straight line. They are constantly zigzagging onto and off the best course. The most successful leaders make the best choices they can with the information available to them, they LAUNCH AND GET GOING, and appropriately adjust their course as they go.

Is there any situation in your life right now that needs a decision? What have been holding off?

Today, try making all the necessary decisions you can before the day ends. Don’t leave anything to chance or delay any longer. Not only will you realize how many decisions you may be procrastinating on, but you’ll realize how much power is contained in a moment of choice.


2. Taking Full Responsibility

The second greatest trait a successful leader has is being able to take full responsibility for his choices.

A great leader always thinks about what the situation needs, not just his own selfish needs.

Many times our choices not only affect ourselves, but the people around us. When that’s the case we can’t wait for everyone to agree before we act. The best way to create results in this situation is to take full responsibility for whatever happens - especially if it involves lots of risk.

It’s hard to find great leaders today because nobody ever wants to be the one to blame if something goes wrong. The way we were raised by our parents and in school conditioned us to fear making mistakes and being rejected.

During stormy times, you have to be willing to steer the ship when nobody else wants to, or else you all might die.

So many necessary things that need to get done in our homes, businesses, and the world we live in aren’t getting done because people aren’t willing to step up to the plate.

It’s in our nature to want to feel safe and secure, but the only real security exists our ability to take action. One of the reasons why we’re the greatest species on earth is that we have no limit to what we can achieve. No matter what happens to us, we can do something to improve the situation.

It’s mostly the fear of failure that stops us in our track, but all of the most successful people I know have an unending list of “failures” under their belt. They wouldn’t be where they are, living their dream, if it wasn’t for all the “mistakes” and “failures” that happened along the way.

A great leader isn’t afraid to fail or make mistakes. And they don’t take what other people think of them too seriously either. They never act like a victim like most people do, blaming others or some outside condition when they are met with resistance.

They have confidence in the fact that if anything goes wrong - no matter what it is - they can quickly take action to improve the situation. This belief is what enables them to take full responsibility for what needs to get done. They lead themselves into action, take the load on their shoulders, and people inevitably follow.


3. Relentless Action Following Decisions

A lot of men are good at making decisions, and some even take full responsibility for their choices, but most quit at the first few signs of resistance.

The leading man consistently takes actions towards his goals until he achieves them.  He works and works, changing his approach when it’s not working, and works and works at it some more. He does whatever it takes to win.

… if we get on a treadmill together, either you’re getting off first, or I’m going to DIE trying…” - Will Smith

Countless studies have found that the most successful people are quick to make decisions and slow if ever to change them, where unsuccessful people are always slow to make decisions and quick to change them.

This sounds so simple but just look around and you’ll see so many people making a decision to do something and than quickly change their minds. And not because they found a better route, but because they gave up when it started to get a little uncomfortable or hard.

When successful leaders make choices, they do not RELENT. They’ll do whatever it takes to reach their goals, to live up to their decision.

It’s important to maintain integrity with yourself, and take massive action towards your decisions. For example, if you make a decision to go to the gym three times a week, it’s so important to honor your decision. The more you keep your word to yourself, the more power you will gain. To the point where if you say you’re going to do something, not only do you have complete confidence that you’ll do it, but others will trust you as well. This is monumentally important to becoming a great leader.

The most successful and attractive men out there, are those who can make the hard decisions, take full responsibility for their choices, and take relentless action towards their goals. They are respected in their line of work, are much more desirable by women, and loved by the people around them.

Every man has the choice to be a leading man. If you recognize that you need to work on one of these areas, quickly resolve to begin working on it today.

And don’t stop running. Stay relentless,

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Monday, 15 Jun 2009 06:30

What you’ll need to put together a similar look:

1. Blue dress shirt

2. Navy blue blazer

3. Khaki pants

4. Brown buckle belt

5. Purple shoes

First Impression:

A man who isn’t afraid to take risks and shout with his fashion.

Breakdown:

This is for those who are looking for some inspiration on how to be fashionably bold.

One of my favorite ways to be fashionably bold is through what I call “non-sequiturs” (which means “it does not follow” in Latin). The idea is to take something (at first thought) that should NOT work and making it work. It takes some balls to experiment and try different things at first, but you’ll quickly find what you like and even come up with some killer looks that people rarely see on anyone.

If you’re someone who can handle the attention and the looks, then you have what it takes to pull off bold style. You may get some weird stares but you’ll also undoubtedly get admiration from women who respect bold fashion.

A very light example of wearing “non-sequiturs” is mixing formal wear with casual wear such as a blazer with a hoodie. A more advanced example of this might be something like wearing a skinny tie as a belt. However, when done right, i.e., brown skinny knit tie with khaki linen pants, it can look great.

The look above is a perfect example of this because from the top down it looks like a classic outfit, until you get to the shoes. Almost nobody would think that purple shoes would match this outfit, but the fact that the rest of the outfit is kept classic makes the shoes stand out that much more.

In a way, non-sequiturs should not be attempted if you’re just starting out and do not understand the fundamentals of style. It’s really more of an advanced concept that those who want to take some risk with their style.

When playing with non-sequiturs, you will face some resistance from people (mostly who are not fashionable at all). But you’ll also most definitely gets lots of compliments on your “creativity” or “artistry” of the combination by those who take quality care of their own image.

So this month, try a bold color in an unexpected piece of clothing like your shoes. It’s a great way to create a shockingly attractive look.

Rate this look below!

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Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Sunday, 07 Jun 2009 08:49



What you’ll need to put together this look:

1. Gray buttoned vest

2. V-neck tee shirt

3. Black dress pants

4. Black Hugo Boss loafers

5. Von Zipper Skitch sunglasses

First impression:

Stand-out summer style.

Breakdown:

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to dress fashionably in the summer heat. One of my answers was this lookbook example.

Wearing a blazer in the blazing heat may be too hot, so swap it out for a dress vest.  This will act as your “jacket” while freeing your arms from all that extra fabric.

Throw this vest on top of a v-neck tee shirt. A v-neck will keep your neck area cool, and I like the long sleeve ones because they look better with a dress vest. Just pull them up during the day and push them down if the nights are chillier.

A slick pair of black dress pants are perfect if you’re going to enjoy the city nightlife. But if you’re going for a more casual look, a pair of jeans pair exceptionally well with the tee and dress vest.

To complete this simple and classic summer outfit, you’re going to need a pair of loafers. Wear them without socks for that summer outfit touch.

Rate this look below!

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Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Saturday, 30 May 2009 13:26


40 common fashion mistakes to avoid:

Clothes that don’t fit - Baggy clothes make a person look sloppy, and like they’re wearing hand-me-downs. If your body type makes it hard to find well-fitting off the rack, make your tailor your best friend. Getting the right fit will transform anyone’s image.

Wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie – Unless you work for a fast-food joint, where sleeves will probably get dirty while making sandwiches, avoid wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie, as it is generally perceived as lower class apparel. If you want to stay looking professional and confident, stick to long-sleeve shirts.

Dirty shoes – It’s the area that too many guys overlook in terms of cleaning and proper care. A stylish man keeps his shoes as he does any of his other clothes; clean and free of scratches and dirt.

Warped shoes – Keep at least two pairs of dress shoes in the same color so you can let one pair rest for a day from sweat and stretching. Doing this prevents them from warping. Place a pair of shoetrees in your shoes when you’re not wearing them to maintain their best form.

Improper pants length –Don’t fold up your jeans or your chinos unless it’s some sort of fashion statement that you’re making. Your pants can come down to the bottom of your shoes but make sure they come just above the floor to avoid fraying your pants. Also, you only need a slight break, or crease, in the pants leg. And don’t be the guy who has his feet swimming in all that extra fabric. All it takes is a simple trip to the tailor to get them hemmed.

Wrong socks with a suit – When you’re wearing a suit, match your sock color to your pants, not your shoes. This is the same as mismatching your suit pants to your jacket. If you’re wearing a navy suit with black shoes, reach for navy socks. And when wearing a light suit, make sure the socks are darker than the suit but a shade or so lighter than the shoes.

Wrong belt color – If you’re wearing dress shoes, make sure the color of your belt matches the color of your dress shoes. Also, the finish of the belt and shoes need to match. In other words, if your shoes are shiny, your belt should be shiny as well. If you’re wearing casual shoes or sneakers, make sure you wear a thicker casual belt to match instead of a thin dress belt.

Improper tie length – A man’s tie should always end at the center of his belt buckle. This is such a simple rule, but overlooked by many. Having a tie that’s too short or too long, can make a man look incompetent.

Forgetting the necktie dimple - It’s the telltale sign of a professional who knows how to wear a tie.

Being too “buttoned” up - If a jacket has two buttons, just fasten the top button. If it has three buttons, you can close the top button, the middle button, or middle and top button. The key is to always leave the bottom buttoned undone. This is a tradition that has been used for decades, and will keep your style looking smart.

Socks and sandals – Have you seen anyone ever pull this off, and look sexy? Case closed.

Cartoon clothing - I love Disney characters, but unless you work for Disney, wearing them on your tie or shirts during the week make you look like you’re stuck in fantasy land. Oh and while we’re on the subject, stay away from those cheesy belt buckles as well. Instead, stick to the classic wardrobe pieces that will keep you looking your best for years to come.

Dress socks that aren’t long enough – When wearing a suit, your socks should come up to your calves, and stay there. When you cross your legs, you shouldn’t be showing any part of your legs. Isn’t it lovely when you see a man’s hairy leg peeking over his socks? When dressed casual, I recommend going very short on the socks or go completely sockless. So fully covered for professional wear, and the sockless look if you’re dressed casual.

Wearing the wrong colors - It’s important to match the color of your clothes to your skin tone. You want the focus to be on you, not the overwhelming color of your shirt. If you have dark skin, you can either wear dark colors or bright colors that match the strength of your skin color. If you have very fair skin, lighter colors are most flattering on you – like soft pastels or icy colors.

Wrinkled clothing- Unless you’re going for the “I sleep in these clothes” effect, keep all your clothes pressed and wrinkle-free. It’s a good habit to always hang up all your clothes, never throwing them on the floor of your room after use.

Wrong casual tie - If you’re wearing a tie as part of your casual outfit, go for a slim tie instead of the wider ones; keep those for the office. It looks a thousand times more stylish.

Wearing too many colors – Limit each of your outfits to a maximum of three colors or shades to maintain a coordinated look. If in doubt find a color wheel online and use it to help you choose your colors. Colors opposite each other on the wheel are “complementary colors.” Colors adjacent to each other are called “analogous colors”. When putting together an outfit, stick to complementary and analogous colors and remember less is more.

Wearing a backpack with a suit – Whenever I’m walking around the city, I see a lot of professional people wearing nice suits and carrying backpacks. I understand that a backpack can be more comfortable because you can throw it over your shoulder instead of holding a briefcase, but you can also get a nice messenger bag to maintain a professional look but keep you hands free and comfortable.

Unflattering hairstyles – Hair is one area of your image that you can constantly experiment with and upgrade without paying more than you normally do. Look around and see which hairstyles look flattering to you, and try something new this season.

Excess cologne – If a woman can only smell your cologne when she’s very close, this is good. She’ll have more reason to stay close. If a woman can smell you from across the room, need she come any closer? Depending on the strength of your cologne, use sparingly, if your cologne loses it’s smell throughout the day, simply reapply. A good rule of thumb is to limit it to two sprays – once on your neck and wrists.

Too much jewelry – All the jewelry a man needs are watches that will match different outfits, and a wedding ring if he’s married. Unless you’re a rock star, don’t go around wearing five rings and a bunch of necklaces at the same time. It looks tacky. Limit yourself to no more than three pieces of jewelry.

Comb-overs – Your not fooling anyone by covering up your bald spots – it’s better to accept and shave it all off Bruce Willis style. It makes you look a lot more sharp, and more importantly, healthy.

Sweatpants – Unless you’re going to the gym, you should never be wearing sweats out in the public. Not only do we dress up for ourselves, but mostly for other people. By wearing sweats, it’s easy to disrespect the people you’re meeting - they may feel that they’re not worth you cleaning up for.

Oversized branding – Avoid clothes that make you look like a walking advertisement. Don’t you know that’s what the advertisers want? Unless you’re getting paid, you’re getting the bad end of the deal.

Tucking T-shirts in – Tucking in polo shirts is acceptable, but t-shirts should be kept casual. If your t-shirt is too long then it’s probably too big on you.

Wearing a crew neck tee under a dress shirt – Pick up a v-neck undershirt and you’ll look a million times better.

Clipping your cell phone to your belt – This is as attractive as using a Bluetooth headset as a fashion accessory. It’s a cell phone, not a gun, keep it in your pocket.

Clunky square toe shoes – Popular in the 1990s, fashion has now strayed far away from this non-classic look. They’ll probably never come back into fashion so lose them and get some slimmer shoes.

Too many prints – Whether with casual clothes or dressy, avoid mixing too many patterns or prints together. If you’re wearing a suit, a good rule of thumb is to keep it to a max of two patterns. In other words, if you’re wearing a patterned suit, wear a solid shirt and a patterned tie, or if you’re wearing a solid suit, you can wear a patterned shirt and a patterned tie. But having a patterned tie, a patterned shirt, and a patterned suit can make you look too busy.

Mismatching styles – Don’t wear your sporty Oakley sunglasses with a blazer, or a pair of cargo pants with a dressy shirt. Keep your outfits coherent and matching in style.

Bulky pockets – I see a lot of guys walking around with bulging pockets. If it’s your wallet that’s creating that bulge, spend some time taking out all those old receipts or business cards. If you need to hold on to them, keep them in a safe place and take them out when you need them. Get a slimmer wallet or a money clip to save space.

Dirty nails – Some men have very overworked and nasty hands. They are either really callous, or they have cracked cuticles. If you work outdoors or lift weights, wear gloves, and use hand lotion before you go to bed at night. Keep your fingernails trim, and free of hangnails, cracked cuticles, and dirt.

Keep your facial hair well groomed – The hair on your face should be orderly. Your face is the first thing noticed, and so maintaining your facial hair is important if you want to look sharp. Either keep a cleanly shaved face, or keep your beard trim. They should absolutely should be no hair underneath your chin on your neck area.

Hair in the back of their neck – Hair on the back of your neck is the same thing. If you don’t get haircuts too often, use a small mirror to check the back of your neck against another mirror, and use a razor to shave any hair that’s growing on the back of your neck.

Using too much hair product – Be aware that looking like you have a bottle of hair product on your head never looks good. A woman sometimes wants to be able to run her fingers through your hair, not hurt herself doing it. Use a smaller amount than you think you need.

Wearing sandals outside of the beach or pool – Keep the flip-flops for the pool, and opt for a casual pair of driving moccasins this summer. Driving moccasins are usually made of leather, but really easy to slip into and have flexible rubber soles, which make them the rich man’s slipper. A pair of dark brown ones will work perfectly with almost anything. Wear them without socks and a pair of cotton shorts for a classically stylish appeal. And if you do wear sandals to the beach or the pool, make sure your toenails are trim and healthy looking.

Not tucking in dress shirts - If your dress shirts are long enough to cover your butt, they are meant to be tucked in. The shirts are made longer so that when you sit down, with your shirt under your butt, your shirt doesn’t come out of your pants. If you’re someone who hates tucking in at casual settings, than make sure the dress shirts you wear are tailored shorter to come above the center of your bottom.

Being a fashion victim – Avoid wearing something just because it’s popular, and not because you actually like the way it looks and feels you. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wearing things that are in fashion, or trying something out of normal comfort zone, but the problem happens when you’re constantly needing to buy that next “fashion piece” that everyone seems to be jumping for. Build a style of your own instead of joining the clones.

Not taking care of that unibrow – Keeping your eyebrows groomed is just as important as the hair on top of your head. Use a tweezer and pluck any hair that is above the nose, it has to go.

Wearing athletic socks, for non athletic occasions – Keep the white athletic socks for the gym or when you’re out playing sports, otherwise, stick to the navy or black socks. They have casual ones in those colors as well. They always look more stylish than white.

Don’t settle for low-grade tees - I see so many guys walking around with their free Pepsi shirts or something they got from their last vacation to Canada. Avoid looking like a walking advertisement this summer, and try a solid-colored v-neck t-shirt instead, or stick to collared short-sleeves for something a bit more dressy.

Wearing pseudo dress shoes with a suit - I see a lot of guys who have an awesome suit, and then ruin it with ugly work-type boots . Or they wear a pair of black shoes that are something like a hybrid between sneakers and dress shoes. These types of footwear ruin the rest of the outfit. The quality of your shoes should match the rest of your outfit quality.

An undershirt is just that - an undershirt - An undershirt’s purpose is to absorb the sweat, dirt, and body oils that we all inevitably secrete, and prevent stains on your dress shirts. The name explains their purpose. It’s not meant to be worn as an actual shirt by itself, so avoid this fashion mistake and call your buddies out on it when you can.

Protect yourself from making these fashion blunders, and keep looking your best!

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Style Tips"
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Date: Saturday, 23 May 2009 08:31



What you’ll need to put together this look:

1. Blue denim jacket

2. Check shirt

3. White graphic t-shirt

4. Khaki cotton pants

5. Black Converse Chuck Taylors

First impression:

Only a fashion savvy guy could have put this outfit together. That or his girlfriend dressed him up really well.

Breakdown:

I’m currently doing seminars in Korea, and being here has made me want to write about great “casual” style.

The guys here really re-define “casual” style. It’s so funny because you can instantly spot a foreigner just by their lack of fashion. Even if they are Asian, they stand out like a sore thumb.

I think many places truly need to upgrade their standards for dressing. As an American, it’s clear to me that the majority of our nation is more about comfort than fashion. We wear gym clothes in public and the term “casual” is so loosely used that most people equate them to totally bumming out.

Today’s lookbook is a reminder that we can take our standards higher.

So let’s take a look at what makes this outfit so great:

  • Perfect fit
  • Great use of layering - You can never go wrong with a classic denim jacket. It’s a “casual” outfit staple that every man should own.
  • The right use of color - The outfit is tastefully color coordinated. There aren’t more than three major colors, keeping the outfit simple and fluid with the rest of the outfit.
  • A graphic tee here - It’s rare that graphic tees with silly humor ever come off as attractive, but this one goes well with this outfit because they put his stylish converse sneakers on display.
  • The use of khaki pants here - You want to avoid wearing blue jeans when wearing a denim jacket, because you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a tacky denim suit.

If you want to read more about great casual style, check out the What Asia Taught Me About Casual Style article for more!

Rate this look below! Also, leave any comments and suggestions that you have for our lookbook articles. Thanks!

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Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Friday, 15 May 2009 08:42


What you’ll need to put together this look:

1. Short sleeve one-button white blazer

2. Blue deep v-neck tee

3. Blue pants

4. Red converse Chuck Taylors

First impression:

Double-take status. Makes me curious about who he is.


The breakdown:

Parts of this outfit really stand out, but it’s perfectly balanced to be attractive, and not over the top. If you master balancing, you can wear anything in almost any setting.

To key to always looking your best is to think about where you’re going to be, and aim to dress one notch above every other guy there.

Our goal is not to overdress or underdress, yet still look the best, so “one notch above everyone else” is the perfect place to be.

The easiest way to always hit this mark is by mixing dressy pieces with the casual, until you feel like you’re going to be a notch above the rest.

This particular look is perfect for a day spent in a fashionable city. My favorite part of this outfit is the white blazer. When do you ever see a blazer with short sleeves!? Personally, I love to make a blazer more casual by pushing the sleeves up. This blazer already takes care of that for you, making it a perfect summer piece as well.

The blazer is the dressiest piece of this outfit, so you can balance the outfit with a casual deep v-neck tee, like the one shown above. The deep v-neck reveals some more chest with adds some sensuality to the outfit, perfect for an evening date or a night at the bar.

Khaki chinos here would be a bit dressy (we already have the dressy blazer), and jeans would be the obvious choice, so why not try something that will really get noticed? Try a pair of blue chinos – it has the casual look of jeans yet holds a slightly dressy element, making you look super stylish.

Now that we have another semi-dressy piece, you can dress it down with a pair of sneakers. The red converses here really add that final punch and really shows the bold personality of the wearer.

So the key is to keep mixing dressy pieces with the casual until you meet up to the the setting you’re going to be in. Is the look too much for where you’re going? Then switch out the pants for jeans or the red shoes for something more tame.

Share your ratings and thoughts on the outfit below!

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Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Saturday, 09 May 2009 07:46

What you’ll need to put together this look:

1. White trimmed shirt

2. Dark blue bootcut jeans

3. Tan leather belt

4. Tan dress shoes or loafers

5. optional pieces:  silver or leather band watch & black stud earrings

First impression:

Wearing designer labels from head to toe – or is he?

The breakdown:

Details are everything when it comes to phenomenal style.

This look is a perfect example of how to look designer for less. The model in the picture above isn’t wearing any expensive designer labels, but you can’t tell from just looking at him.

Here are some details that stand out to create this stylish look:

1. A perfectly tailored fit – It’s rare that anything will fit you perfectly off the rack, so find that best fit that you can, and get the excess fabric tailored. This is one detail that will always make you look a hundred times better.

2. Shirt details – The patterned detailing on his shirt sleeves and pocket take a normal dress shirt and makes it look like a shirt by Gucci.

3. Sharp stitching details – The jeans are taken to another level through the  detailed stitching. The yellow stitching really stands out against the dark jeans, making it seem as if it was hand crafted rather than mass-produced by machines.

4. Matching colors – It’s always a classy detail to match your belt with your shoes. Try opting for a tan belt instead of the standard black. It really adds some sharp flair to this outfit.

Also, take note that his silver watch matches the silver on his belt. A good rule of thumb is to keep all jewelry to one color.

5. Some details alter the impression you make - This guy’s long hair, facial hair, and black stud earrings are all details that add some edge to balance out his very clean-cut, professional look.

Focusing on the details are the key to making your best impression. Whether you’re dressing for business or women, your attention to details will not go unnoticed.

Hope you enjoyed #13! Share your rating below!

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Author: "Jae and Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Saturday, 02 May 2009 15:27

Article by Kinowear contributor Jonathan Mead

Let’s face it, everyone wants to be a “badass.” The type of person that is unafraid to live how they want, totally free from restraint.

But is it really possible to learn how to be a badass? That’s supposed to be something you’re born with, right? I don’t think so. I think everyone has an inner, alter-ego badass, waiting to be unleashed.

All you have to do is practice letting it out. And I’m about to show you how to do that.

But first let’s take a look at…

The Validity of the Badass

Here’s what makes the badass trait so desirable:

  • A badass has an “I don’t give a damn” attitude. They seem to live on their own terms, free from the social constraints that leave others feeling inhibited. Their careless attitude may seem like they really don’t care about anything, but they realize that by not caring about things that don’t matter, they liberate themselves.
  • Badasses are natural leaders. Confidence naturally builds trust in others. If others are uncertain, but you are 100% certain, they’ll gravitate toward you.
  • Badasses get what they want. They put themselves first and in doing so, unabashedly seek out and attain what they desire. This is actually a highly positive trait to have, as long as you don’t use or manipulate others to get what you want.
  • They don’t tolerate BS. They don’t have low self-esteem. Therefore, they have no need to tolerate bullsh**.
  • Excitement. This is, hands down, the most coveted trait of them all. Badasses, renegades, outliers, whatever you want to call them, live on the edge. They’re not afraid to take risks or break the rules. Their fearlessness enables them to ignore the so-called practical requirements for living the masses prescribe to. Badasses realize that most rules are really just agreements. They don’t agree that life needs to be dull, boring, drudgery. Therefore, they take risks and choose endeavors that would make others cringe.

But the most catalytic factor between the badass and the average citizen is this:

Regular People Exist, Badasses Live

Badasses arrive at the grave thoroughly used up. They aren’t afraid to speak their mind or take a risk for something they believe in. The faint at heart think about taking action toward their dreams, but this type of man wastes no time hesitating.

As I said earlier, I think everyone has an inner badass. Whether yours is dormant or stirring, I think we could all be well-served to connect with this side of ourselves.

Below are some strategies for tapping into your inner rebel without a cause. But remember, the most desirable trait is living on your own terms. So follow these rules or break them; they’re your agreements.

  1. Say what you mean. Don’t beat around the bush. Use strong, powerful language. Avoid words like “try,” “maybe,” and “someday.” Replace them with “will,” “of course,” and “absolutely.” Also avoid using politically correct language. Don’t dumb down your words. If you want to say “shell shock”, say it! Don’t say “post traumatic stress disorder.”
  2. Question authority. One of the oldest living renegades, Siddhartha Gautama (also known as the Buddha) once said “Do not believe anything that you’ve been told, unless it agrees with your own common sense.” The same advice applies 2,000 years later. Listen to yourself first, before you listen to the experts.
  3. Be independent. Don’t rely on anyone else to tell you that something is possible, and don’t seek anyone else’s permission to do what you want. You may work synergistically within your tribe, but your sense of self does not depend on it. Your independence means that you are firmly rooted enough in your self that you don’t seek validation externally.
  4. Don’t tolerate BS. A renegade may be a showman and occasionally embellish circumstances, but keeping it real always comes first. The more you give into pretense and duplicity, the more you become fake. A badass may have a flare for the dramatic, but he is by no means counterfeit.
  5. Push your threshold of uncertainty. A true badass is not afraid of taking risks. Though he may have fears, he acts in spite of them. He knows that giving into fear is the mind killer. The more you give into fear, the more you give away ownership of your mind. To cultivate the renegade mindset, you must accustom yourself to act in spite of uncertainty. You’re not afraid to steer off the highway and engage in unexplored terrain.
  6. Face reality head on. You don’t shirk away from responsibility. While most people are whining about their problems, you see challenges as opportunities to improve and grow.
  7. Do what you want. This is crucial and really ties into the other six points. When you’ve fully embraced and in tune with your inner bad-ass, you develop a life that is incredibly awesome. You know that most rules are social agreements, so you have no problem pursuing your passions while everyone else is complaining that it’s not practical. You know that you create your own reality, so you decide what’s practical and what isn’t. You realize that doing what you want is mostly a matter of discovering an intersection of your deep passion and the world’s deep need. You find out how to use your unique gifts (strengths) and brain malfunctions (flaws) as opportunities to market yourself. You figure out ways to get paid to exist.

These are just a few of the major traits I’ve discovered of the quintessential bad-ass. Remember, even if you think you’re shy or you’re not made out for the prolific life, that’s just your ego talking.

Your inner renegade is in there, waiting to be unleashed.

This article was written by Jonathan Mead; revolutionary, raw foodist, dream coach, and prolific blogger. He is interested in unconventional paths to personal growth and advocates strange things like killing your goals. In his spare time he studies Jeet Kune Do and other ass-kicking strategies. He also wrote a pretty cool book, called Reclaim Your Dreams - An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms.

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Author: "Jonathan" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Saturday, 25 Apr 2009 07:57

Your hairstyle says loads about your sense of fashion and personality. And unlike clothing, you can try as many styles as you want, even the trendy ones, without creating a huge dent in your bank account.

You don’t have to go to a high-end salon to have a stylish hairstyle - a great way to take your hair to new heights is through experimentation with some quality hair products.

Forget the memories of overusing gel and making your hair hard as nails, the goal is to work with your natural hair type and adding some touches to bring out it’s best.

This article will be your simple guide to what different hair products can do for you. Experiment and find a hair styling product that gives you the style you’ve always wanted.

Hairspray


Hairspray is usually used as a finishing product, but it works great as a styling product too. It’s one of the best ways to make your hair look thicker. It also adds a nice shine to your hair - which if you use sparingly, will make your hair look healthier. If you spray it on wet hair, you can mold your hair in whatever way you like. It can also be used on styled or dry hair for a super maximum hold.

Pros: Super easy to apply, and keeps your hands free of sticky hair product.

Cons: Lots of hairsprays have a strong scent that can even overpower your cologne. Avoid these type of hairsprays. Also, if you use too much, it can make your hair very dry and crunchy - which may even flake if it’s a cheaper product.

How to apply it: Simple and easiest hair product to use – just spray it evenly across your hair (4-5 sprays max)

recommended brands:

  • Sebastain Shaper Hair Spray
  • Nexxus Headress Spray 4
  • Paul Mitchell Fast Drying Sculpting Spray
  • Folicure HairSpray (body &fullness)
  • Grande finale UltraHolding Spray (Holds for weeks)

Pliable Hair Products

Pomade: Pomade works great for a flexible hold without any stiffness to it. It works best for short to medium length hair. Pomade also allows you to have a natural look while adding texture to your flat hair. It’s a great product for more stylish haircuts and for that “messy” look. Just apply a small amount to slightly damp or dry hair and style.

Waxes: Similar to pomade, but normally more aggressive and petroleum based. This product is great for lending shine and control to short cuts. Waxes are also great for those who want to manage thick hair. This product must be applied to hair that is completely dry because oil and wax don’t mix.

Muds, Fibers: A less familiar product - mud (or fiber) is used when maximum control is needed. Many muds and fibers will give a more matte finish, so they are it’s definitely worth trying for those who want that “bed head” type style. This product type is great for giving texture to short, disheveled styles and for adding separation to long styles.

Creams: Styling creams are a lot lighter and are great for controlling flyaway hair. It’s great because it gives you some control over your hair you while making you look like you have no product in your hair. If you have very fine hair, use a tiny amount to avoid a greasy look. If your hair is curly, a cream is a great option to add a healthy looking shine and keep your curls together.

Pros: Only small quantities are needed and it really gives your hair great texture. The pliable product lets you restyle your hair throughout the day.

Cons: When too much is applied, it might give your hair a greasy look.

How to apply it: Skim a small quantity onto fingers. Rub your fingers together and apply to your hair. Distribute evenly where molding is needed.

recommended brands:

  • Physique Precision Pomade (excellent overall for molding and defining)
  • Jack Black Pomade (Beeswax and sunflower oil give your hair shine and hold, while mango and shea butter keep your scalp clean, smooth, and moist)
  • Bumble and Bumble Sumotech Styling Wax (This wax has medium grip, making it great for most styles)
  • Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom (It provides great control but not too much hold, making it perfect for long, straight hair)
  • Sebastian Crude (It’s perfect for fine-haired folks who want that disheveled look)
  • Magic Move (control your frizz and great natural look)
  • Gatsby Moving Rubber (Japanese hair product - great for all styles)

Mousse

Mousse is great for any hairstyle and it can create practically any desired look. When used with wet hair, it will give your hair a sleek shine. When used on dry hair, it will help shape, mold and hold your hair in place with a more natural look. Mousse can also provide volume for men with thinner or fine hair. Wear mousse on a daily basis to create a natural and easy to manipulate hairstyle.

Pros: Mousse allows you to re-style your hair throughout the day without the stickiness factor.

Cons: Quality hair mousse doesn’t come cheap and it might lack holding strength for those who need more grip.

How to use it: Shake the bottle. Dispense a small amount in one hand and apply to your hair with both hands. Style your hair to your liking and blow dry for maximum hold.

recommended brands:

  • Quantum Sequence (Weightless styling foam)
  • Vigorol (Super hold styling mousse)
  • Jason All Natural Mousse (High performance nutrients for your hair)
  • COUVRe Gel Mousse (More control and adding volume)

Gel

Gel is the most efficient product for holding your hair in place. These are normally water based and good for those who want that wet, sleek look. Gels usually come in light, firm, or strong holds. Get a lighter hold for fine hair, so that it doesn’t weight your hair down. If you have thick, course hair, then get a stronger hold because the light hold won’t hold your hair up.

Pros: It will cement your hairstyle for many hours, even in the course of heavy winds. Great for thick hair - a firm holding styling gel will give strong hold to thick hair.

Cons: A large quantity of gel is needed for many looks and you will get your hands sticky if re-styling is needed throughout the day.

How to use it: Dispense the necessary amount of gel in one hand and use both hands to rub it into your towel-dried hair. Style the hair to your liking. Blow-dry if you want maximum hold or dry naturally for a shiny look.

recommended brands:

  • Paul Mitchell Extra Body Gel (flexible)
  • Jason Hi-shine Styling gel
  • Goldwell Definition Style & Shine Gel
  • Hairgum Hair Dressing (Styling that protects)
  • NU-U tm Freeze Gel (moisturizes and styles for days)

Go out and experiment with some new hair products until you achieve your best hairstyle. You’ll be amazed at how much a little product can make a difference!

Do you use any hair products? What’s your favorite? Share with us in the comments!

Author: "Jae" Tags: "Grooming"
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Date: Friday, 17 Apr 2009 13:08

What you’ll need to put together this look:

1. Black low v-neck cardigan

2. Grey hooded v-neck sweater

3. White t-shirt

4. Grey dress pants

5. Black dress shoes

6. optional: Newsboy cap


First Impression:

Layering master.


Breakdown:

After being in New York for way too long, Jae and I are touring Asia again for some fresh fashion inspiration. Our first stop is the stylish city of Seoul in South Korea for several months, followed by the ever eccentric Tokyo in Japan.

While in Seoul, the first thing we noticed is that the street fashion here is on another level. Nearly every businessman is dressed in tailor-fit suits, and the casual style here is simply inspiring.

One of the things that differentiates the guys here is just how well they layer their outfits. So for look #12, we decided to choose a look that exhibits just that.

A lot of guys in the States tend to write off layering to heavy, winter wear. However, #12 is the perfect example of how you can layer for warmer weather with thinner pieces.

With effective layering there are a few things you want to remember:

  • Think about what will create a “complete” outfit - some guys will look for each individual piece to be fancy by itself, and put it all together in a overwhelming mess. If you’re going to wear something stylish or interesting, keep the rest of the layers simple, e.g., a white undershirt, a thin hoodie, etc.
  • As a rule of thumb, try not to layer with more than three colors. Otherwise, it may look too busy
  • Wear your color on your outermost layer for an attractively bold look, and wear color on the inside as a chic way to add some accents to your outfit
  • In the spring/summer time, use accessories like hats, scarves, a skinny tie, necklace, or even sunglasses to create a more “layered” look without getting too warm

If you want to build your layering skills, keep coming back for our style inspiration articles

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll really begin to set yourself apart from everyone else. The times when I get the most compliments is when I’ve put together a complete outfit through layering pieces together such as the example above.

Hope you enjoyed #12! Share your rating and comments below!

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Author: "Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Friday, 10 Apr 2009 11:24

What you’ll need to replicate this look:

1. 2 button jacket w/ epaulets

2. White dress shirt

3. Fitted black jeans

4. Black skinny tie

5. Aviators

6. Black belt (studded)

7. Converse All Star Core OX


First Impression:

Confident and savvy enough to mix it up.

Breakdown:

This look is a seamless hybrid of classic professional men’s wear, casual street pieces, and military-inspired elements.

Despite borrowing aspects from very different styles, the reason this look works so well is because it keeps to the most important principles of an attractive style.

1) Fit
2) Color
3) Proportion

In terms of fit, everything from the pants to the jacket looks tailored to the model. There are no problems with the color here, because it’s mostly black and white. However, the small touch of subtle red in the shoes lightens the mood of the entire outfit, making it much more playful.

If fit is the way your clothing sits on your body, proportion is how it looks in relation to your body type. Proportion is what makes a short guy look taller, fat guy look skinner, and so forth. Unfortunately, a lot of men neglect this.

Take the skinny tie for example. It works extremely well here to make this model’s small frame look bigger. A big fat tie would have actually accentuated his small/skinny frame.

The aviator sunglasses are great for guys with longer faces because it fills in their face more – making their face look more balanced.

Lastly, this look proves that a clean pair of converse all stars is one of the most effective ways to dress down a serious/professional look to casual street style.

Hope you enjoyed #11! Share your rating and comments below!

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Author: "Ben" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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Date: Sunday, 05 Apr 2009 14:55

Article by Jae with contribution by guest contributor Tina Su

If you had MASSIVE amounts of confidence in yourself, how would your life be different right now?

What would be different in your career? How would your relationships change?

No matter who you are, you can build unstoppable confidence.

Building self-confidence is something that most people leave to chance. Many settle for the belief that as you get older you’ll just automatically grow in confidence through “experience.”

But waiting for external factors to give you confidence is like building your house on sandy ground. When the flood comes, your house will be washed away and left in ruins.

The majority of men who are active in the dating scene are a good example of this common approach. They try to attract as many women as possible, allowing their confidence with women to grow only when they attract a better woman than their last.

This approach may work, but this type of confidence reveals itself to be weak further down the road.

This type of confidence is built on external validation from women and the responses received, and not from within, and so when the flood comes, their confidence goes with it.

For example, one day a woman might shatter their ego by leaving them for another man, or worse, telling them they are not satisfying any of their needs.

At this point most men will start to doubt their worth and their confidence level will drop tremendously, and it’ll affect the way they approach future relationships. Some men may even find it impossible to recover after they’ve been burned really badly.

The men who are really exceptional with women have an unshakable difference. Their confidence is not grounded upon past experience or external validation, but their confidence is built on the belief that no matter what happens, they can trust that they’ll handle it and take immediate correct action.

So the confidence doesn’t come from how many women you can attract, but comes from being a man who is always moving towards his goals and being unshaken by the inevitable ups and downs of living life.

You can build unstoppable confidence by maintaining a high level of TRUST with yourself. All you have to do is consistently follow through with the tasks you assign yourself. Nothing will give you more belief in yourself than being a highly self-directed person.


A Closer Look at Confidence

Self-confidence = how much we like ourselves.

How much we like ourselves = level of self-dominion.

What is self-dominion? It’s our ability to get ourselves to actually do what we want ourselves to do; in other words, self-discipline and self-trust.

A man who has dominion over themselves has self-integrity - staying true to their words and commitments.

Every time we fail to listen to our inner voice, and do not take action in something that we need to, we lose trust with ourselves and our abilities. This lack of self faith continues to spiral downwardly as we flounder to control ourselves.


How to Begin Building Your Unstoppable Confidence

We’re all familiar with the concept of momentum. When we do something well, regardless of how small the task, we build positive energy and momentum.

The more we proactively direct ourselves and succeed at doing so, we create momentum that sets us on an upward spiral towards unstoppable confidence.

For example, if you just make calls to all of your clients, clean your entire car, and mow the lawn, it will be easier for you - psychologically - to quickly move on to and complete the next task. You will have built the momentum necessary to getting things done, and you are simply riding on that energy and building on previous successes.

On the flip side, when we put off what we want to do or know we should do, we lose momentum, and more importantly, we lose trust in ourselves.

A great way to view this is to imagine that we have a personal assistant. The better they perform on the tasks assigned to them, the more confident we will feel towards their abilities to handle responsibility. Gradually, we will assign more important tasks to them as trust is established. We now have faith in their abilities to follow through. We trust them.

Conversely, if our assistant procrastinates or complete misses deadlines regularly, we will lose faith in their abilities to follow through. We stop trusting them. We stop giving them tasks (at least the important ones), and we start to look for a replacement assistant.

Now, think of ourselves as our own assistant. The more we follow through with actions, the more confidence and trust we’ll establish with ourselves. We will then gain faith in our ability to handle more.

The small wins with ourselves, directly affect how much we like ourselves. Each time we successfully follow through, we build trust in ourselves to keep pushing forward beyond our current comfort zone.

Your ability to take control of yourself and move towards your heart’s deepest desires will give you loads more confidence than any external factors like how much money you have, the car you drive, or how many women flirt with you can ever give you.


13 Tips for Building Momentum

In order to build your self-esteem, you must establish yourself as the master of your own life. Every single minute of your life is a moment you can change for the better.

Most people get stuck when they try to do more than they can handle at the current moment. The trick is to start with where you’re at and go one notch above what you’re comfortable doing.

If you find that you’re on a path towards losing more confidence each day, here are 13 tips to build your momentum towards unstoppable confidence:

1. Start Small - Start with something you can do immediately and easily. When we begin with small successes, we build momentum to gain more confidence in our abilities. Each completed task, regardless of how small, is a building block towards a more confident you. What are some small actions you can take immediately to demonstrate that you are capable of achieving goals you’ve set for yourself? For example, clean out your closet, organize your papers, pay all your bills, or just make that call to that girl already.

2. Create a Compelling Vision - Use the power of your imagination. Create an image of yourself as the confident and self-assured person you aspire to become. When you are this person, how will you feel? How will others perceive you? What does your body language look like? How will you talk? See these clearly in your mind’s eye, with your eyes closed. Feel the feelings, experience being and seeing things from that person’s perspective. Practice doing this for 10 minutes every morning. Put on music in the background that either relaxes you, or excites you. When you are done, write a description of this person and all the attributes you’ve observed.

3. Do Something that Scares You - As with all skills, we get better with practice and repetition. The more often we proactively do things that scare us, the less scary these situations will seem, and eventually will be rid of that fear.

4. Socialize - Get out of the house or setup a lunch date with a friend. Socializing with others will give us opportunities to connect with other people, and practice our communication and interpersonal skills.

5. Set Goals - According to a study done at Virginia Tech, 80% of Americans say they don’t have goals. And the people who regularly write down their goals earn nine times as much over their lifetime as people who don’t. By setting goals that are clear and actionable, you have a clear target of where you want to be. When you take action towards that goal, you’ll build more confidence and self-esteem in your abilities to follow through.

6. Do Something You Are Good At - What are you especially good at or enjoy doing? Regularly doing things that you are good at reinforces your belief in your abilities and strengths. I (Tina) can be very efficient with completing errands or administrative work. Whenever I have a few hours filled with ways in which I’ve maximized my time, I feel highly productive and this boosts the confidence have in my abilities as an organized and efficient person.

7. Get Clarity on Life Areas - Get clarity on the life area that needs the most attention. Your self-esteem is the average of your self-concept in all the major areas of your life. Write down all the major categories of your life, e.g., health, relationships, finance, etc. Then rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 in each area. Work on the lowest numbered category first, unless they are all even. Each area affects the other areas. The more you build up each area of your life, the higher your overall self-esteem.

8. Help Others Feel Good About Themselves - Help somebody or teach them something. When you help other people feel better about themselves and like themselves more, it will make you feel good about yourself. See what you can do to make others feel good or trigger them to smile. Maybe giving them a genuine compliment, helping them with something or telling them what you admire about them.

9. Create a Plan - Having a goal alone won’t do much. Get clarity on your action items. One of the biggest reasons people get lazy is because they don’t have a plan to achieve their goals. They don’t know what the next step is and start to wander off randomly. When you’re baking a cake, it’s a lot easier to follow a set of clear instructions, than randomly throwing ingredients together.

10. No More Comparisons - Stop comparing yourself to other people. Low-self esteem stems from the feeling of being inferior. For example, if you were the only person in the world, do you think you could have low-self esteem? Self-esteem only comes into the picture when there are other people around us and we perceive that we are inferior. Don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing. Accept that it’ll serve you more to just go down your own path at your own pace rather than to compare yourself. Pretend you’re starting over and begin immediately with the smallest step forward.

11. Get Motivated - Read something inspirational, listen to something empowering, talk to someone who can uplift our spirits, who can motivate us to become a better person, to live more consciously, and to take proactive steps towards creating a better life for ourselves and our families.

12. Getting External Compliments - As funny as this point suggests, go find a friend or family member and ask them “What do you like about me?” “What are my strengths?” or “What do you love about me?” We will often value other people’s opinions more than our own. We are the best at beating ourselves up for things not done well, and we are the worst at recognizing what we’ve done well in. Hearing from another person our strengths and positive qualities helps to build a more positive image of ourselves.

13. Affirmations & Introspection - Use affirmations, but in the right way. Some people think that when they’re in a slump, using positive affirmations will help them get out of it. I love affirmations, but I’ve realized you have to use them in the right way. Sitting on your couch and saying “I am highly motivated and productive” does nothing. Say something like “I am sitting here being very unproductive right now, is this the ideal me? What would be my best self?” Your affirmations have to be the TRUTH. Once you’re honest, take the first step towards doing the thing, no matter how small.

Self-confidence thrives on self-dominion. The more power you have in getting yourself to take the right actions, the more self-confidence you will have. Your level of self-confidence affects your happiness and everything you do.

** What did you do the last time you fell into a slump? What has been effective for you in developing your self-confidence? Share your thoughts and stories in the comment section. See you there!

This article was written by Jae with contribution from Tina Su. Check out Tina’s website: Think Simple Now, a candidly written lifestyle blog that focuses on finding clarity, motivation, creativity and personal happiness.

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Author: "Jae" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Thursday, 26 Mar 2009 23:22

Article by Kinowear contributor Jonathan Mead; follow him on twitter.

Have you ever heard someone speak and felt compelled to soak up every word? You just want to know them, be around them and learn from. That’s the mark of a remarkable person.

While some people are born with an enigmatic quality, most people become that way willfully. Many highly charismatic, magnetic people didn’t get that way by accident. They didn’t stumble upon greatness; they became great deliberately.

I’ve learned that there are certain traits that can be studied, practiced and learned that will make you remarkable. But before I get into that, I should warn you that the path of the outstanding man is not the smoothest or most gentle. Timidity and shrinking has no place in the path of greatness. If you’re looking for something easy, try your luck on lotto tickets or celebrity impersonation. But if you want to be a real superhero, read on.

So here’s what you have to do…

1. Unabashedly accept your remarkability.

This isn’t about being an ego maniac (see: Kanye West), it’s about being fully grounded in your own unique genius. Everyone has natural-born raw talent in something. (Note: If you’re not sure what your inherent strengths are, get this book: Strength Finder 2.0.) Being remarkable is about unabashedly accepting your one-of-a-kind talents.

The truly great man knows he is great, but doesn’t feel he has to prove it. He doesn’t parade himself around like some beyond-human guru. He is subtle. In a disagreement, he will let you have the upper hand. He will make you feel better about yourself because he doesn’t need to belittle others to inflate his self esteem. But while he is humble, he has a certain air of confidence, what the French describe as “je ne sais quoi” (I don’t know what).

When you’re remarkable, you know it. But you also know you put your pants on the same way as everyone else.

2. Have a natural desire for exceeding the status quo.

It’s been wisely said that “perfection is the enemy of the good.” I personally reject the ambition to attain complete perfection in my personal and professional pursuits. I know that sometimes doing things “good enough” is much smarter. Sometimes the law of diminishing returns proves to be accurate. For example, the impact on productivity of having a fairly organized workspace vs. one that is immaculate, is negligible. It’s a much bigger investment to obsess about perfection than to settle for something functional.

While all truly prolific people know this, they also can’t help but want to exceed and push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. The remarkable man wants more than just average. He wants to excel and master his endeavors.

3. Work while everyone else is sleeping.

I know first hand the value of doing your research and working smart. It’s the difference between doing blind cold calls endlessly and actually taking the time to research how to market and how to sell yourself. Despite the importance of working smart, if you want to be remarkable, you’ll need to go beyond the bar of what’s expected.

You’ll work while other people are sleeping. You’ll work while other people are watching TV and while your friends are playing World of Warcraft. Whatever you seek to master, you’ll think about it when you’re driving. You’ll dream about it at night. And when you’re not working on it, you’re thinking about how you can work at it better and more efficiently.

The path of greatness requires sacrifice.

4. Seek out the unconventional, unnoticed, untapped.

Being remarkable is largely about being masterful. To become a master, you’ll need to explore the fringes of your craft that often go unnoticed or dismissed by others. As a martial artist, I’ve discovered that this makes a huge difference between the novice and the master. A master will not just go through the techniques and the motions. He will study body mechanics, speed training, elusiveness, feinting, economy of motion and minimizing telegraphing.

Not only that, but a true master of martial arts won’t just immerse them self in the study of martial arts, but in training the whole body and the whole mind. They will research unconventional methods of meditation and becoming more aware of the body. They will study philosophy and cultivate a positive attitude. In exercising the body, they will seek out every method of training they can find. They will delve into training methods that other people might find strange or weird. But they don’t just seek out unconventional methods for the sake of being different; it’s in an attempt to train holistically, not leaving anything untapped or undiscovered or uncharted. Once you’ve tried it, you determine what works and discard what doesn’t.

The remarkable man pays attention when everyone else is distracted. He sees the sleight of hand the magician conceals. He listens when everyone else is speaking. He looks where no one thinks to look and has an intuitive sense for picking up on cues and clues that would often go overlooked.

5. Accept that you will be controversial.

Most people are satisfied with the same boring routine. They go to the same boring job, answer the same boring calls and go to the same boring meetings. They talk to boring people and drink boring coffee. They may complain about their lives, but they don’t care enough to do something about it.

These are the kind of people that would love to hold you down and keep you on the ground. Your fearlessness gives them discomfort. You arouse in them the sleeping giant of potential that they’ve long since silenced. These people will have strong opinions about what you do, but at the same time, will unceasingly defend their mediocrity.

Realize that there will be a lot of people like this. Don’t shun them, but ignore them. When they rebuke, the remarkable man simply smiles.

6. Get a mentor.

If you want to become great, you’ll need to seek out the mentorship of others that have achieved greatness. For example, if you want to be a entrepreneur, you’ll need to seek out the advice of other successful business owners. If you want to be a great athlete, you’ll need to study under other great players.

This doesn’t mean that you need to actually live with Michael Jordan or have an apprenticeship with Stephen King, you just need to study them. With a simple library card, you can get biographies and books that will allow you to carry your teachers with you in your messenger bag. Who knows, your greatest teachers might be dead.

Except having great mentors, one of the fastest ways to excel at your endeavor is to surround yourself with people that have already done what you’re trying to do. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you wouldn’t want to associate only with employees, you’d want to seek out the company of business owners. If you want to be a software developer, you wouldn’t want to talk to the convenient store clerk. You’d want to seek out and surround yourself with other experienced programmers that have already created successful software applications.

A truly remarkable man knows that he is forever a student and can always learn something from even the most unexpected sources.

7. Live on the edges.

This is probably the most important quality of the remarkable man. If you’re going to pay attention to anything, pay attention now. You can’t be remarkable by simply “doing what works,” following a pre-made template for life and keeping your head down and nose to the grindstone.

If you want to be more than just a pawn, you’re going to have to take control of the game. You’ll need to decide how your life is played, instead of living by default.

Remarkability means questioning authority and living on your own terms. You see rules as crutches for those that live their lives unexamined. The extraordinary man knows that often “collective wisdom” is really a big, fat collective assumption.

You see limits as imaginary lines. You understand that most obstacles are not physical, but psychic. You see fears and beliefs as only true in your mind.

If you truly want to live fully, you recognize that you must live on the edges. When other people are afraid to express their feelings, you speak. When others ask “Why me?” you ask “Why not?” When being true to yourself may mean that you’re unpopular, there is no question to you about the choice you’ll make.

Closing thoughts

There is no question that living the prolific life is not for everyone. It should also be noted that it requires a lot of energy to be remarkable all the time. You should spend equal amounts of time recharging and replenishing your sources of energy.

Even if your aim isn’t to become James Dean or Johnny Depp, opting to cultivate these traits in yourself to some degree couldn’t hurt. Maybe a version of “remarkability lite” would serve you better.

So what do you think? What makes a man truly remarkable?

Is it that he follows his dreams?

This article was written by Kinowear contributor Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind. To learn more about how to break away from the herd, grab a subscription to Illuminated Mind.

PS: If you want to break out of Cubicle Jail, check out his new book, Reclaim Your Dreams - An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms. Can you afford to let another day, month, year slip away without following your dreams?

Author: "Jonathan" Tags: "Self-Improvement"
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Date: Friday, 20 Mar 2009 23:44



What you’ll need to replicate this look:

1. Black leather jacket

2. Lavender v-neck sweater

3. White Jeans

4. White Tumbled Leather Dress Shoes

or White Slip-ons

First impression:

Fresh, confident style. Definitely looks like a ladies man by the way he dresses with sex appeal.

Breakdown:

What I like most about this outfit is the balance of masculinity and femininity. There’s something about a sexually appealing look like this that many beautiful women go crazy for.

Why? Because most men stick to safe t-shirts and button downs, almost as if they’re afraid to attract attention. With a bold outfit such as this one, you display that you can handle the attention you’ll invariably get from women.

People will conclude that your your social circle is made up of mostly women, because you most likely wouldn’t dress like this around your guy friends.

So instead of going for the broader appeal with a safer look, try going for a more extreme, even controversial look once in awhile. It’s better to get a strong reaction from a targeted group of women than to hit or miss with a lukewarm image.

In this outfit, I love the way the white pants and v-neck add that sensuality while the rugged leather jacket keeps the masculine balance. I like how the leather jacket sleeves are rolled up, which adds a laid-back touch. Try to get a leather jacket with buttons on the sleeves, so you can achieve the same look. If you can’t find one, I’ve attached a link to one above.

The v-neck sweater worn alone is very appropriate for the warm afternoons and cool nights. I’ll sometimes go out in a v-neck sweater with nothing underneath. It keeps me cool enough for the warm afternoon weather and keeps me warm enough when the nights get more chilly.

Having no undershirt also adds a bit of sensuality which stays congruent with the rest of the outfit here. Also, the purple heather color really adds an extra bit of charm and style.

A fresh pair of white shoes keep the bottom fluid and doesn’t interrupt the smooth appeal of this outfit.

What do you think of this look? Share your comments below!


Author: "Jae" Tags: "Style Inspiration"
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