Are you a beautiful person?

No matter how you answered, I challenge you to think again. Let me pose the question another way:

Do you feel beautiful?

That’s a horse of a different color.

I’ve heard people remark on how refreshing it is to meet someone real, genuine and authentic, confident and happy with who they are. These people radiate charm and grace as inner beauty emanates from the very core of their being. More than simply see it, we can feel it.

What makes them different? They are aware of who they are in a way that most others aren’t. It’s hard to fathom if your concept of beauty is only skin deep. The world is rife with people whose outer beauty opened doors for them only to slam shut in their faces when the truth came out.

The fashion and cosmetics industries cash in on fears like this. Given the power of advertising, it’s no wonder so many people spend their lives focused on appearances and superficial fix-ups while neglecting what makes them truly beautiful.

Inner beauty improves with age and makes you grow more attractive with each passing year. Maybe you know someone like this… how do they do it? What is their fountain of youth?

In many cases, the answer amounts to three little letters: e-g-o. For good reason, people who glow with inner beauty have created well-adjusted egos.

This is why many physically stunning people - the knockouts in the room - aren’t always so attractive when you get to know them better. Why?

For nine out of ten, it’s ego. One way or another, fragile or frankly insufferable, that’s the issue.

On the other hand, the people with healthy egos are easy to spot. They’re confident and fun; they're genuinely comfortable with who they are, and insecurity and self-doubt are virtually nonexistent. They can take a joke and dish it out with ease and grace; they let go of criticism, forgive more readily, and quickly dissolve resentment and the negative emotions that thwart happiness and self-esteem.

Free from the stressors that etch wrinkles into skin, you recognize their inner beauty when you look at them. You sense it when they walk into the room; they look and feel younger than their age, and almost everyone likes them.

Those whose egos serve them possess charisma and charm that’s hard to put into words. They brew a captivating aura that adds grace and presence to the dynamic, and sometimes makes them downright irresistible.

This is true beauty. Think of it as truth in transcendence.

To be truly beautiful, learn to recognize, manage and play with your ego. Put it in its proper place as an indispensable asset, subordinate to and in the service of your authentic self.

The rewards await you.