81 Second Impressions

Someone at a reception smiled a hello and shook my hand warmly.
Later I saw him sneering at one of the waiters.
And, later still, talking behind someone’s back.

You only have one chance to make a first impression, true, but you have an awful lot of time to make plenty of second impressions.

With a stranger who will soon no longer be in your life (a receptionist, someone in an elevator /lift, etc.) a first impression really counts. For a very short time!
However if you’re going to be seeing /interacting with a person then second impressions are what really count.

We get positive feedback our routine /first impression works from new people we meet. We don’t realize everyone who matters (those with whom we have ongoing interactions) easily figure out our routine(s).
“Oh that’s Charlie, he’s always like that. We just ignore him.”

A genuine laugh /chuckle occasionally expressed shows good humor.
The same thing, done continuously, shows inane-ness.
Who would promote someone always laughing!

A genuine occasional complaint about the traffic /weather etc. is a fair response.
The same thing done continuously shows a level of intolerance.
Who would promote someone always triggered by weather or traffic?

Stop looking at the impression you make on new people and look at the ongoing impression you make (and reinforce!) on people you interact with every day.
They deal with you based on second Impressions.

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These are related:

11 Feedback – 30 Ever-changing Relationships – 31 Being at-Cause – 46 Always – 52 Correct Decisions

60 Patterns – 71 Nice – 73 Killing Frogs – 74 Dictating Your Miracle – 79 Truth Time

86 Don’t Be Yourself – 99 Perfection! – 100 Ransom Notes – 104 Power