Page 116 - Demo

116 || FITNESS MAGAZINE || JUNE 2015 || EDITION 2So, what other truths are hiding behind the curtain of pageantry? I competed in my first pageant at age 18. I didn%u2019t win. Thank goodness or else I may have seen behind the curtain before I learned a slew of life lessons that I still apply to the success I enjoy today. I competed in several more pageants throughout the United States, winning two state titles and losing many more. Each time I competed, I learned something new %u2013 about me, and about how to win a pageant. I hope the following six truths will prepare you to win a pageant %u2013 whether it%u2019s your first or your next %u2013 and save you a decade of time in learning them. Pageants are a high-stakes game with unclear rules and unexplained results. When there is only one winner and there are more than 3 contestants, statistically, you are more likely to lose than to win. There. I said it %u2013 not to discourage you. I%u2019m just letting you know this will not be easy. But, it will be fun! More good news: Life is equally unclear and unexplainable. So, this%u2019ll be good practice! It%u2019s amazing how many contestants truly believe in the fantasy of pageantry. Thousands of contestants every year compete in various pageants thinking they are just going to %u2018do their best%u2019 and the results are out of their control. Women show up as though they were plucked out of the countryside and placed onto a stage. They don%u2019t consider how to actually win a pageant. Instead, they hope the judges will see their inner beauty. It doesn%u2019t work like that, and neither does life. Your job is to help others see your beauty, to share it with them so they can experience the goodness. To win a pageant, you have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and put in the work necessary to showcase your greatest qualities. For many, that means developing your professional skills or volunteering for an organization you believe in. The top-tier contestants in Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss International Pageants have usually been developing themselves personally and professionally for years before stepping foot on a national stage. And the change they make is real in the lives of those they impact. Every great competitor has a team. Even individual sports are won with a team of supporters. It is vital to hire a team of professionals that have more experience, knowledge, and expertise to help design a path to victory, hold you accountable to your goals, and encourage your success. Pageant contestants are no different. The best teams I%u2019ve seen consist of the following: wardrobe stylist, pageant-day makeup artist, fitness trainer, pageant coach, and trusted advisor (usually a family member or best friend). When considering whom to hire for your team, first look for people who share your personal values and respect your professional goals. Then, make sure your team members are smarter than you in their area of expertise. Hiring someone who knows less than you to protect your ego, or cut a corner is not going to do you any good. Resist the urge to give your mom a camera to take your headshots. Not surprisingly, it%u2019s hard to win a pageant without a team. Let%u2019s face it: pageants are an expensive hobby. Competing to win a pageant takes a certain investment of time and money. The