MOST Magazine Fitness JUN'15 ISSUE NO.3 | Page 116

So, what other truths are hiding behind the
curtain of pageantry?
I competed in my first pageant at age 18. I
didn’t 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 – about me, and about
how to win a pageant.
I hope the following six truths will prepare you to
win a pageant – whether it’s your first or your next –
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 – not to
discourage you. I’m 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’ll be good practice!
It’s 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 ‘do their
best’ 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’t consider how to actually win a
pageant. Instead, they hope the judges will see
their inner beauty.
It doesn’t work like that, and neither does life.
Your job is to help others see your beauty, to share

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FITNESS

M A G A Z I N E || JUNE 2015 || EDITION 2

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 y V'2&Vf