Weve all seen them, at supermarkets, cafes, in bowling alleys, at bars, at ballgames.

They catch our eye, and although they arent good looking, and certainly, not beautiful, by magazine cover or movie standards, they are arresting. They stop us in our tracks.

Who are these people, and what can we learn from them?

These are people who think a lot of themselves. Theyre self-confident. Theyre winners.

They walk erect, speak crisply, and are intimately aware of their surroundings and their impacts on other people.

Theyre not pretty or handsome, but theyre magnetic, and probably, most people would say theyre sexy.

They have inner beauty, and the interesting thing about it is that it doesnt stay, inner, for long. It is actually good news that we arent born with it.

Its self-made. If you have none of it, you can get some; and if you have some, you can get more.

How do you develop it, and how will you know when youve done it?

There are several ways. One of them is to become a martial artist.

Martial artists are self-made people. No one was ever born with the skills that they cultivate.

What do they know that others dont know?

Five crucial things:

(1) They know how to appear larger than they are, physically. Bruce Lee was not tall, nor is Jet Li, nor is Chuck Norris. In person, youd be amazed at how short they arebut hold itare they? Not really. Theyre bigger than some hulks because they have learned how to project themselves into a bigger space. We pay attention to bigger things, and they know how to catch our eye.

(2) They know if theyre attacked, theyll respond well. Most people live in stark fear of personal injury, but not martial artists. They know exactly what to do, even in novel situations. What a comfort! No wonder they seem relaxed in strange neighborhoods and new countries.

(3) They know how to affect people with their spirits. The best martial artists consider it a huge setback if they have to defeat an adversary with their bodies.

(4) They know that there is great power in politeness and subtlety. No one becomes a true martial artist without being forged in the fire of humility.

(5) They realize that character is more important than popularity. Getting to know themselves, their abilities, creating their own realitythese things make them stand apart.

The next time you see someone who seems unusually comfortable with himself, its probably not because hes a business tycoon or a famous actor.

It could be just a very special person who is showing the irrepressible inner beauty of a martial artist.