Still remember the time when you were in high school? How much you desire to be the cool guy?

Well, now you can. Research has found, as corny as it sounds, that anybody can be cool. In fact, how cool you are are not related to how much you consume. That’s right. That means you don’t need that iPhone, LV bags and other branded objects just so you can appear cool.

Of course, most of us know this already… at least intuitively. Just take a look at some of the most respected people in the world. Most don’t give a hoot about their appearance. And the girl with all the fancy stuff? She’s the class brat, isn’t she?

Now the latest research has confirmed our suspicion all along: that your perceived “coolness” depends more on your intrinsic values. They are: self-belief and confidence, defying convention, understated achievement, caring for others and connectivity.

The girls are not kidding when they say self-confidence is sexy.

Image by Okko Pyykko