10 harmless mind tricks that make people like you

Advertisement
Often, people misjudge you and form am opinion about you. First impression is certainly not the last impression, but people do form opinions about you by looking at your habits, the way you talk and behave publicly.
Advertisement

You may be a warm and welcoming person, but you may be rubbing people off the wrong way, unknowingly. After all, who doesn’t want to be liked?

Be it professional or personal life, everyone wants to create a positive impression on others and people want others to like them.

Here comes the role of mind tricks.

Dr. Travis Bradberry, the award-winning co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the cofounder of TalentSmart, says mind tricks won’t make you a Jedi, but using the brain’s natural quirks to your advantage can have a positive impact on everyone you encounter.

Advertisement

There are 10 tricks will minimise your efforts and make sure the other people like you.

These 10 tricks will influence the behavior and make a huge difference in your day-to-day life.

{{}}

1. ​Eye contact

1. ​Eye contact

When a group of people laughs, each member of the group can’t help but make eye contact with the person they feel closest to. This trick can make you an astute observer of relationships of all types. It can tell you which members of your team are bonding and learning to trust one another, just as easily as it can tell you if you might have a shot at landing a date with a certain someone.

2. ​When someone does a favor for you…

2. ​When someone does a favor for you…

When you convince someone to do you a favor, they unconsciously justify why they are willing to do so. Typical justifications include things such as “he’s my friend,” “I like him,” and “he seems like the kind of person who would return the favor.” These justifications serve you perfectly.

Advertisement

3. ​Silence gets answers

3. ​Silence gets answers

When you ask someone a question and they’re slow to respond, don’t feel pressure to move the conversation forward. Remaining silent plays to your advantage. Moments of silence make people feel as though they should speak, especially when the ball is in their court.

4. ​. Open hands and palms create trust

4. ​. Open hands and palms create trust

There’s an employee policy at LEGOLAND that says whenever someone asks where something is, the employee “presents” (open-palm gesture) their directions instead of “pointing” them. This is because the open-palmed gesture conveys trust, making people more likely to agree with what you’re saying and to find you friendly and likeable. Pointing, on the flip side, is generally seen as aggressive and rude.

Advertisement

5. ​Nodding

5. ​Nodding

Nodding your head during a conversation or when asking a question makes the other person more likely to agree with what you’re saying. The next time you need to win someone over to your way of thinking, try nodding your head as you speak.

6. ​People remember unfinished things better

6. ​People remember unfinished things better

The natural tendency to remember unfinished things is called the Zeigarnik effect. Ever notice how some television commercials get cut off early? The company paying for the commercial cuts it off so that it sticks in your head longer than other commercials. The best way to forget unfinished things (commercials or songs) is to finish them in your head.

Advertisement

7. ​Chew gum to relax and focus

7. ​Chew gum to relax and focus

Chewing gum actually lowers your cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress. But chewing gum doesn’t just reduce stress, it also makes you more alert and improves your performance in memory-oriented tasks. You probably don't want to use this one while you're talking, but it's a great way to destress in preparation for a big presentation or challenging conversation.

8. ​People’s feet reveal their interest

8. ​People’s feet reveal their interest

When talking to someone, pay attention to their feet. If their feet are aimed at you, they’re interested and listening to what you’re saying, but if their feet point away from you, they’re most likely disinterested and mentally checked out.

Advertisement

9. ​When you meet someone new, work their name into the conversation

9. ​When you meet someone new, work their name into the conversation

The goal here is to repeat their name three times in the first five minutes. It works extremely well, but the trick is to do it naturally. When you rattle off their name unnecessarily, it sounds foolish and awkward.

10. ​Showing excitement makes other people like you

10. ​Showing excitement makes other people like you

This one goes back to the idea that we mirror the behavior of those around us. If you show excitement when you see someone, they naturally mirror that excitement back at you. It’s an easy way to make a strong first impression and to get people to like you.

Advertisement