The truth about personal impact

When communicating with other people face to face - and particularly when you're trying to persuade them - the key ingredients are credibility and believability. Your credibility will be determined by the verbal, vocal and visual elements of your message. If the words you say aren't confirmed by your tone of voice and how you look, you won't be believed.

People will evaluate you (an average of 11 decisions, within the first six seconds) based primarily on non- verbal information. We all tend to make snap judgements about other people, and often make mistakes - we stereotype.
Don't fall into this trap when you meet other people, however, be aware - they will be making decisions about you.

Low self-esteem and self-image affect body language. People tend to make movements and display posture which indicates a lack of confidence. If you don't feel confident in a particular situation, act or pretend to be confident. Walk into a room as if you own the place.

Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself - "Is what I'm saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?" If so - great! "Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?" If this is the case - STOP IT, change the program! By talking to yourself in a positive manner, you'll start to feel physically better and you'll look better. Words have an enormous power to create change in the chemistry of your body. Your heart rate, blood pressure, muscles, nerves and breathing will all react to the words you say to yourself and this will be evident to other people.

Put this to the test right away; for the next 7 days listen to what you say to yourself and if it's negative, change it to something more positive and you'll start to feel better, look better and have much more success.