“Short Man Complex” and How to Move Beyond it for Good
by www.Sedona.com
More than one-third of U.S. men would like to be taller, but among those in the bottom third of height (5 feet 8 inches and under) the percentage jumps to 45 percent, according to a Gallup Public Opinion poll.
For some men, being short has, indeed, translated into an unfair disadvantage. The term “heightism” refers to this prejudice based on the belief that short-statured people are inferior and undesirable.
And according to the National Organization of Short Statured Adults, “Heightism is important to discuss because many people don't even realize that heightism exists.”
Yet, the facts say that it does, especially in regard to men. For instance:
- On average, a person earns $789 more per inch they are taller, according to a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
- Among CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, 58 percent were 6 feet or over (the average American man is 5’9”), according to author Malcom Gladwell in his book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
- Taller men are more likely to be married and have children than shorter men, according to a study published in Nature.
- When asked to rate the qualities of men of varying heights, men and women rated short men as less mature, less positive, less secure, less masculine, less successful, less capable, less confident and less outgoing than taller men, according to research by psychologists Leslie Martel and Henry Biller.
There is also the unfair stereotype that a short man who is driven, motivated or otherwise aggressive is a “Napoleon” just acting out because of his size.
For the record, the so-called “Napoleon Complex” was recently disproved by researchers from the UK’s University of Central Lancashire. Their research found that it was tall men, not short men, who were more likely to be aggressive.
What to Do if a Short Man Complex is Interfering With Your Life
Of course, everyone feels “short” in some aspect of their life, regardless of their height. But this is not always a comfort when it comes to something that you have absolutely no control over.
Some men have been so unhappy with their height that they have resorted to height-increasing shoes, growth supplements and even excruciatingly painful limb-lengthening surgery.
Yet, all along, there has been a simple solution that will make you feel good about yourself regardless of how tall or short you are.
“If you feel too short or inadequate in any way simply let go of the feeling and you will find that you immediately feel better,” says Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training of Sedona Training Associates. “Over time your habit to think or feel about yourself in that negative way will drop away as well.”
Letting go is a natural ability that you have right now. Think about how easily children let insults or arguments roll off their backs -- this is letting go. As we grow older, however, we often forget how to release negative thoughts and instead are taught to hold onto them.
You can relearn the process of letting go using the scientifically proven Sedona Method. Hundreds of thousands of people have already caught on and are using the three simple questions it entails to boost their own self-esteem and self-worth.
“With The Sedona Method,” Dwoskin says, “this transformation from low self-esteem to high self-esteem can happen very quickly as you let go.”
Sources
Journal of Applied Psychology 2004 Jun;89(3):428-41
Nature. 2000 Jan 13;403(6766):156.
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