I used to work with two guys I called "Tall Todd" and "Tall Paul". Both were really smart and part of our IT department. Both in shape-ish, skinny, very tall.
Paul was conventionally hot - his side job was modeling, he made money at it and I did once unexpectedly see him on a national advertisement. Hot, you understand? He was nice, friendly, I wasn't attracted to him but could see he was physically really good looking, and was outgoing and pleasant, creative guy, good Halloween costumes.
Tall Todd wasn't good looking like that, and had the additional baggage of being named Todd, but had this way of existing in the world that was just so comfortable and made you feel comfortable. I think when people say confidence this is what they mean - not cockiness but this self acceptance. He was just so attractive without being physically attractive - he wasn't ugly exactly but unremarkable in looks. But goodness he was attractive in real life. Magnetic.
I do not know how people get that sort of confidence but it's not by being really good looking.
I had a friend in college like Todd. Weird looking dude, but every time you talked to him you just felt good. He was fun to talk to and interesting but a good listener too. You were just happy to have spent time talking to him. Now I’m not into guys so I can’t say subjectively if that made him attractive, but based on what I’d heard he had all the men and women he wanted throwing themselves at him, and I believe it.
And for the people saying your friend was leaning on height, this guy was about the height of the average woman and hung out with a lady over 6’
They were tall, and I'm not disputing the whole "attractive people are more attractive" idea. I don't think that comfortable - confidence vibe comes from looks, you can be good looking and very insecure about your looks, uncomfortable because everyone is looking at you, and I'm sure Tall Paul was comfortable enough with his looks to make money off them but didn't have it.
You can also get that kind of confidence by not worrying about where you fall on the attractiveness scale. I like to think I'm that way. If I wanted to I could definitely pick out things that might make me ugly, but I don't worry about it. I care more about the interactions I have with people than I do about how I physically look. The only things about my appearance that give me a degree of confidence are just things that amuse me, like that I always wear the same color scheme or that my normal and facial hair differ in color and texture.
I can think of at least two of my friends who also share the quality of being comfortable and self accepting despite not being physically attractive, and I really enjoy being friends with them.
No, I am in graduate program of a university. but it does seem like many of them never grew out of grade school..
Not that they need to be in this sense. In a competition-driven society, you only need to survive yourself, it is a good option to kick someone else down to go up higher. Idk if such manipulation skills would require the "growing up" part.
You called one person being that way an outlier, so I added three more from my own experience (two friends and myself.)
And yeah, maybe that is still an outlier. I'm willing to accept that, because I have something that might explain why it's more common with the people I know. The three of us are part of a Christian fellowship, and Phillipians 3:3 says we have confidence in Christ and not the flesh - interestingly enough, I literally just got back from a Bible study with that group where we hit that verse.
You also might know three people that are more confident in themselves because confident people tend to be outgoing and know lots of other people, compared to people who aren't very confident.
This wasn't the point as i read, the question was about confidence. And this has little to do with how "pretty" you are. Your confidence is only in your mind. Sure if others think of you as ugly, it's harder to gain confidence. But I think especially a lot of girls have confidence issues with their appearance despite looking "good".
You get that kind of confidence by not giving a shit about what other people think in terms of your physical attractiveness. I don't think I'm especially good looking. I also couldn't give less of a shit. Which is why I have the confidence to have the facial hair of a 19th century president. Because a mutton chops beard is fucking awesome. I'm married, but I wouldn't even care if I was single. I'm keeping my mutton chops.
Absolutely, I said it gives a natural advantage, it is more like getting a good starting hand in cards. It doesn't mean you automatically win. Or loose if you get a 4,5...
Too many in this thread are for a variety of reasons taking my statement to mean "OMG if you're not pretty you're doomed"