Like pure water, rich with rare minerals stored deep within a mountain’s core, the actor flows freely through the structures many caves, crevasses, and fissures and transforms into a nourishing river that delights all those that dare to dip their toe in!
Watch how some actors play their roles with incredible authenticity, that when you envision their past performance you see the character, not the actor. Feel the vibration of a premier dancer as she flows with grace on the stage, it’s like you’re dancing in unison on a spilling wave. Be so entranced by the sound of a master story teller’s voice and so deeply engaged in his story, your mind floats like a dream and time hangs suspended like a feather in the wind.
This is the magic of charisma, the unique and often indefinable characteristics of a person that others find immediately endearing and magnetic.
Consider the benefits charisma has for an actor, dancer or story teller to instantly charm their audiences with nothing other than their presence … the way their eyes see you … their unique mannerisms … their ability to suspend the sound of silence and capture your imagination. Why wouldn’t anyone not want to learn how they do what they do!
Researchers in the field of psychology say qualities like a happy disposition, poised physiology and an infectious personality are common traits of a charismatic person. If this is the case, it sounds too easy! We’d all be able to turn on the charm in a flash, wouldn’t we?
What about genetics? Can your family tree determine whether you are capable of developing charisma? Or, is it possible that anyone, at any age can easily learn to be charismatic?
Well, if you’re not a trained actor, and you weren’t born to parents that modeled charisma in your formative years, then how would you learn to be charismatic? Or if you are acting and haven’t yet found that star quality in your performance, do you wonder … what’s their secret?
While it’s true, charisma when measured up against technical skills and abilities is intangible, there is strong evidence to support the importance of developing charisma alongside other highly regarded intrapersonal skills such as emotional intelligence, self awareness, and authentic leadership.
Go search the latest job banks and you’ll find a growing number of employers are seeking candidates with highly developed ‘soft skills’ in their recruitment ads. One ad I saw recently for a national Marketing Manager listed ‘social butterfly’ at the top of the list of qualities for the position!
Your ability to be charismatic can lead to quicker engagement with your audience, a deeper connection with the people in your life and will differentiate you over your competition. Learning how to be charismatic could be a ‘magic’ skill that transports you to the other side of your dreams.
So now, you may be wondering…” Is it possible to learn how to be charismatic if I’m not already? Or, is charisma already in me and I just need to learn how to access it? ”
In my opinion – it’s both.
Knowing NLP, there are processes that can help you tap into your internal authentic energy stored within. Some people call this internal energy their ‘aura’. Guaranteed, everyone will have their own way of describing charisma.
This is mine: “Being charismatic is a ‘state of being’ accessed via an internal connection to your authentic self. When you discover your internal circuitry, put a new structure in place and learn how to access the connection, YOU ‘the actor’ can flow freely on life’s stage sending your charisma out to the external world.”
All in all, charisma is much more than being a happy person, having good posture or developing a charming personality. It’s the magic that means you stand out in the crowd. It’s you performing as the artist you aspire to be. It’s having an immediate and deep connection with your captive audience simply by being yourself.
It’s knowing who you are and what you want.
And, by knowing how to access your authentic charisma – You can be a star!
Jacqueline Nagy © 2011