I am 5'7". Based on ratings of my face pic on a couple of dating websites I was on when I was in grad school, I guess I'm of more than average handsomeness? I don't think I'm like Hollywood pretty or anything, but I digress. My point is, I'm shorter than you, and I have a beautiful, kind, compassionate, understanding, forgiving, strong, and fiercely intelligent wife. Women are attracted to lots of things about men, just as you are attracted to lots of things about women. Become the best version of yourself that you can be, and it will just happen when it happens.
Honesty warning! It's really a matter of taste, I think. I'm a 6'3" overweight pretty boy, and I have often felt awkward because I stand out. I tend to be attracted more to short, average-looking guys, probably just because there is more contrast. Positive and negative attract, it's the most fundamental principle in the universe. It always baffled me that short guys seem to dislike being short because I like them very much just the way they are. But I think they just got a lot of shitty criticism from society, telling them that it's better to be tall. Fuck that shit! What's worse is that some short guys have even showed resentment towards me for being tall, which was really tragic because I fully appreciated them they way they were but they couldn't see it.
As a tall, dark, and handsome man I can tell you that looks mean nothing unless your either gorgeous or deformed, everyone has their preferences, you would be shocked at how picky people can be, some girls I'm sure are into men who are dwarfs, while others want giants, that being basic standards like hygiene and health are important too.
When faced with these questions I ask myself one thing. Has someone done it before? Has a guy with an average face but kind of short found an attractive girl before? Yes, yes they have. They have, so can you.
Don't judge a book by its cover. Inner beauty is not just skin deep. I consider myself a handsome man, perhaps being told I was handsome growing up continuously by my parents and their friends and family and such reinforced this notion that I must be handsome. As for the Tom Cruise reference, he really ain't that pretty, but his attitude makes him attractive, not to mention luscious locks to die for, hahaha lmao. You can actually change the way you appear through how you view yourself, turn that average face into the face of a winner, a knight to be won by a lucky lady, become a great man of character, any woman would want to be with you if you radiate excellence in all areas of life!
I'm only 16 and working hard in school so maybe I can make it far in life and earn some big money like Tom Cruise haha.