Body First, Mind Second - Fact 6

THE WOMAN PROJECT — Woman Fact 6

She spent weeks on that presentation. The first words out of anyone's mouth were about how she looked. Her mind deserved to go first.

The sad reality is this, as a woman, we look at what we see and so does everyone else. The question is on you, how do want to be seen? How do you want to be known, by body or by brains. I choose brains anyday. We are women, with exceptional minds.

READ IT

I once gave a presentation I'd worked on for weeks. The first comment afterward was, "You look great today." I said thank you, and waited for the rest. It came, eventually. But it came second.

Researchers have measured what that ordering actually does. In one study, women who received appearance compliments before a task performed measurably worse than women complimented on their competence first. When women are described mainly through appearance, both men and women unconsciously rate them as less capable, regardless of what they actually achieved.

Here's what deserves to be said louder: a woman's mind built that presentation. Her mind solved the problem, found the words, carried the whole room. Her mind is where her actual power lives, and it has always deserved to go first.

THINK IT

Think of the last big compliment you received. Was it about something you did, or something you looked like? Which one actually stayed with you longer, and why should the other one, too?