A RECENT book contains a complete course in success, leadership, and social skills based on an Aim and Step Associates program that sold for $300. The book harnesses the sophisticated Space Age engineering principles and concepts that made man's flight to the moon possible. It shows you how to use these concepts to accomplish miracles for yourself and your associates in your career, social, and everyday life. We quote:
"In our personal success system we have a number of payloads, and the first one of these payloads projects your image to the outside world. When you meet a person for the first time, before you open your mouth, that person judges your appearance and bearing.
"When you open your mouth your new acquaintance has an other parameter to judge you on, your speech. What you say, how you say it, your diction, your delivery, your level of confidence, and your capability to express complex ideas simply, influences your success potential. Your second payload is speech.
"You have a third payload. This payload we shall call your pen, and it will work for you even while you sleep! . . . The fourth payload is your ability and willingness to serve."—Forres H. Frantz, St., The Miracle Success System (West Nyack, N.Y.: Parker Publishing Co., 1967), p. 7. "You're judged on your appearance and bearing first of all. Till someone hears you speak, reads your written words, or sees your good works, there's nothing but appearance and bearing to judge you on."— Ibid., p. 129. "Eccentricities in dress and grooming produce negative reactions in the business world. Brashness and sloppiness produce negative results too, as do loud clothing colors and poor color combinations. Very unusual dress, besides setting the wearer apart, tends to detract from everything else that he does. Unusual dress attracts an undue amount of attention to the wearer's clothes. Consequently, less attention is paid to the man and what he says or does."— Ibid., p. 131.
If we followed the instruction given to our church through the messenger of the Lord, we would be the most appropriately dressed and display the best taste of any people anywhere. How thankful we should be for the principles that serve as a guide to us when Satan is putting forth every effort to mislead us, for he is the originator of the "ever-changing, and never-satisfying" fashions (Welfare Ministry, p. 161).
What we wear reflects not only our tastes and inclinations, but also has a subtle reaction on our demeanor and conduct. Appropriate dress tends to encourage appropriate deportment.