 Although we want to bank on the famous quote, don't judge a book by its cover. The reality of life is that you have only got a few seconds to make someone want to spend more time with you. Your behavior within the first seconds of meeting a person will determine how far the conversation or relationship will go, except for rare cases. In this video, I will share with you 18 things that destroy a first impression immediately. If you are new here, consider subscribing to this channel for more awesome videos. 1. What are the signs of this interest? It's not enough to be an interesting person. You also have to be interested. The fact is that what drives a person is themselves. Not the interesting tales you are telling them. So make your conversation about them and be interested in what they say. When you pay little or no attention to what they say, you ruin the first impression. Save your speech on how you can add value to their lives for future encounters which you will get if you don't blow the first one. 2. Chewing gum. A person meets you for the first time and you are chewing gum. They might think you are immature, childish and somewhat lower class. Chewing gum is a bad idea, especially when it involves official issues. However, in less formal circumstances, people chewing gum may be evaluated as more friendly and approachable. 3. Avoiding eye contact. Eye contact has an unbelievably powerful influence on how you are perceived. A 2007 study showed that people who maintain eye contact during a conversation are often seen as more confident, attentive, intelligent and trustworthy. It doesn't mean you have to fix your gaze on people, but don't just be afraid to lock eyes with another person from time to time instead of always looking around especially when you meet them for the first time. 4. Weak handshake. American political satirist and journalist P.J. Warwick once said the firm hearty handshake gives a good first impression and you will never be forgiven if you don't live up to it. A flimsy handshake can be a real first impression killer, especially in the job interview or meeting with a potential client. It can make you instantly judged as being shy, nervous, uninterested or even totally ineffective. That's certainly not how you want others to perceive you. Is it? 5. Being late. Well, your group of friends may kid you that you are always so fashionably late. When it comes to your first impressions, lateness is not something to joke about. Running late to the meeting with people you don't know or have a formal relationship with will shed an inevitably unfavorable light on you. It'll make you seem like an unreliable person who doesn't respect people enough to value their time. 6. A wrong attire. Do you know that according to statistics, 55% of the first impression is based on appearance? Well, remember the old proverb, dressed the way you want to be addressed. Your appearance to a first-time meeting matters a lot, whether we like it or not. People judge a book by its cover. Often, the conclusions arise within 7 seconds of setting eyes on you. How well can you convince a person within such a short period? 7. Forgetting people's name. Probably the most awkward thing you can do when you see someone is to forget their name. And it's even more shameful, if they remember yours, to steer clear of this awkward situation, get into the habit of immediately repeating someone's name after you have been introduced. 8. Making distracting noises. Imagine meeting someone for the first time and the person won't stop typing their feet or hitting the desk with their hand. I bet you felt irritated at some point. Even if you did not, someone in the room felt so. Hence, you must not indulge or do any of those things, especially if you are meeting with an unfamiliar person for the very first time. By making those noise, you are not only annoying everyone, but you are also giving them the wrong impression about you. 9. Paying too much attention to your phone. In the age of social media and easy access to the internet, we have become so addicted to our gadgets. An Android app called LockIt undertook a survey and discovered that the average person checks their phone 110 times a day. Even if you are checking the time on your screen, it comes off as very impolite. When it's done during a conversation, the other person gets the impression that they are boring you, or that you seem to have better things to do. 10. Only someone's personal space. Just as there are certain lines you shouldn't cross when it comes to conversation topics, the same goes for personal space. Experts put it simply that the distance between you and another person depends on your relationship and the situation. Thus, there is no need trying to force yourself into somewhere you are not supposed to be. It is a big turn-off. 11. Asking questions without talking about yourself. In the study, unacquainted participants either engaged in back and forth self-disclosure or took turns self-disclosing for 12 minutes each, while the other listened. Results showed that participants in the back and forth group liked each other significantly more. People generally like you less if you don't reciprocate when they disclose something intimate. 12. Humble bragging. To impress friends and potential employers, some people disguise bragging as self-criticism or pain. One common statement used by humble braggers is, if I were not so nice, I would not have been by people. According to a work in paper from Harvard Business School, this behavior, otherwise known as humble bragging, could hugely be a turn-off. 13. Not Smiling. A 2015 study found that smiling when you first meet someone helps ensure that they'll remember you later, although when you're not at a networking event, admitting lots of new people, it can be hard to keep a smile plastered on your face. However, if you want to make an excellent first impression of yourself, it is reasonable to smile often. 14. Flirting with your hair. Studies have revealed that women touch their hairs up to 18 times a day. Well, if you're fixing it in front of a mirror, that's fine, but if you play with your hair while talking to someone, you could be sending the wrong message. First of all, it makes them think you're flirting with them. Then again, a person who toys with their hair during a conversation appears unconfident, anxious and uncomfortable, traits that are most undesirable in official situations. 15. Name-dropping. It can be enticing to mention that famous author who graduated from your alma mater or that time you made a celebrity to impress your conversation partner, but the scheme can backfire. Researchers from the University of Zurich in the year 2009 published that name-dropping makes people seem both less likable and less competent. 16. Acting like you don't like someone. Over time, psychologists have recognized a phenomenon called reciprocity of liking. As humans, when we think someone likes us, we are more inclined to enjoy them as well. On the other hand, if you don't express fondness for the other person you're meeting, you could potentially turn them off. 17. Acting too nice. It makes logical sense that the nicer and more altruistic you seem. The more people will like you, but some signs suggest otherwise. When you act too lovely on your first time of meeting people, they get suspicious, they generally believe that you have an ulterior motive and that can turn them off, be friendly, but know your limits. 18. Disclosing personal information. Generally, people like each other more after they've treated confidences, although self-disclosure is one of the best ways to make friends as an adult. Psychologists say that divulging something too private, for example, that your sister is having extra marital affair while you're still getting to know someone, can make you seem insecure and decrease your likability. Making a good first impression is vital when it comes to job interviews, first dates or important meetings with your clients, etc. Hence, it's crucial to know if some of your mannerisms are bringing people in or turning them off from you.