How to be attractive at first impressions: the 10 second rule

In that short window, the human brain makes a series of superficial judgments and decisions, deciding how well or poorly a stunning first impression will go.

In other words, if you can master the 10-second rule, you can change how people perceive you. But first, let's get one thing straight. Pickup artists and dating experts do not follow the 10-second rule. It's not a shortcut or a cheat code for consistent romantic success. Instead, the 10-second rule exploits a genuine psychological phenomenon:

Making an excellent first impression, sense of humor

A flash is a brief period of rapid emotional and psychological analysis in which your brain processes the characteristics of another person. Your brain creates them based on body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

You have a quick and straightforward interpretation of everyone you meet, and you use that interpretation, whether positive or negative, to understand how you relate to and communicate with new people. For example, let's say you encounter a person wearing a t-shirt from a TV show. You can't stand it when you see their t-shirt and the logo from your least favorite show.

One makes a series of logical judgments about their personality, their tastes, and the kinds of activities one enjoy. Since you like different shows, you may assume you have nothing in common.

Personalities

You may assume they have bad taste or that your personalities may clash. None of these things may be accurate, but your brain makes those black-and-white judgments anyway, and those judgments impact the strength or weakness of your connection.

But, during the first 10 seconds, your brain is busy scanning the other person for any number of cues, quickly assembling your interpretation of who they are. We call this making an excellent first impression. But to some extent, you can control how others judge and interpret your personality. Ultimately, the 10-second rule, the 8-second rule, and even the 17-second rule.

Mood

People are making quick judgments about who you are. The right decisions can kick-start a strong connection, but the wrong choices can scare people away. So what is it in the first 8 or 10 or 17 seconds that people latch onto what makes a first impression good or bad, strong or weak, attractive or unattractive?

The first 10 seconds of your brain's search for something called "generally appealing traits." A generally appealing trait is something you find attractive on the surface. In other words, they're the shallow characteristics that make one person more appealing or attractive than another. Generally, appealing traits can vary wildly for some people.

High athleticism and good hygiene. Check all their boxes. Some say you're too short, while others say you're too tall. Think about that t-shirt you immediately disliked. They may be big fans of that TV show. They may see that shirt and think I've found the love of my life.

Perfect

They make a string of optimistic assumptions. They're convinced they have all the same hobbies, similar personalities, and like-minded values. In other words, you're physically and emotionally misjudging people around 70 percent of the time. Yet most people stick to their guns once they decide about you. Changing their minds can be difficult because those judgments aren't random. Each assumption you make is influenced by a diverse spectrum of variables like your experiences, your mood, and your past relationships. For example, if your last partner was obnoxious and rude and they happened to wear many hats, you might associate them with self-centered personalities, so how do you make yourself more attractive? If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, everyone interprets things differently, and you only have 10 seconds to make a solid first impression.

Could you keep it simple, stupid?

I'm going to give you a piece of advice that many people don't like to hear. How do you attract the people you meet? How do you use the 10-second rule to your advantage? The quality of your first impression is not up to you. It's not something you can control or streamline.

So take the pressure off your shoulders. You, like most people, are putting too much weight on something mainly out of your control. People ruin their first impressions because they try to control other people's assumptions. They want to project a specific person, and they try to convince other people that there's something that they're not.

The truth is that other people's judgments are rarely influenced by the changes you make, especially in the first 10 seconds. So if you want to attract new people and make more vital impressions, don't worry about what other people think of you. Instead, worry about what you feel about yourself. Have you ever heard the phrase "keep it simple, stupid?" It's excellent advice in various fields, but it's essential here. In the first 10 seconds, they make incredibly shallow judgments about you based on factors you can't control. That's why, in the first 10 seconds, the most attractive people don't look like anything special.

They look relatively normal. This can be a huge surprise for people struggling with confidence or self-image. Maybe you've gone out of your way to change their personalities or wear some outrageous outfit to make lasting memorable impressions on others. Still, the truth is that most people aren't looking for someone different from everyone else. 

Individual

I worry about delivering an opening line that no one has ever heard. You don't have to be a particular individual or one of a kind. In other words, you don't need to be the most muscular person in the room or the most confident. Instead, please keep it simple because simplicity is all anyone wants during the first 10 seconds. Pickup lines are a great example.

You try hard to be funny, memorable, and confident, but those lines almost always fall flat. On the other hand, countless men find success with simple introductions like "Hi, how are you?" or "Do you mind if I say, why does this work?" Because people aren't expecting the world from you in the first 10 seconds. They aren't asking for outliers or extremes.

They're looking for someone who checks their boxes, doesn't try too hard, and knows who they are to take advantage of the 10-second rule. When it comes to attraction, less is frequently more. It is as simple as it can be and is often the quickest route to romantic success. Of course, keeping it simple doesn't guarantee your first 10 seconds. It runs smoothly every time.

Context completely changes the way people perceive you.

There's so much trial and error in this process that you're bound to fail at some point. Luckily, some variables influence how often your first impressions land how you want. For example, context completely changes the way people perceive you.

Some people make great first impressions in quiet places like parks and coffee shops but terrible impressions at parties and social events. Understanding which environments cater to your strengths and which domains throw you off course is essential. This may sound not very easy, but it's easy to figure out where you make the best impressions. Ask yourself where you feel them.

Most comfortably, when you're in your element, doing something that makes you feel calm and confident. Your attractiveness skyrockets.

Where do I feel the most comfortable?

Your confidence shines through to everyone you meet, attracting attention and making you more appealing. The opposite is true in unfamiliar, uncomfortable environments. If you dislike parties, for example, it's difficult to hide how painful you are.

People will notice your insecurity and may feel like you're trying too hard, so they won't see the same attractive qualities. The first 10 seconds of interaction can make or break your connection.

Assumptions

During those 10 seconds, we make all kinds of judgments, assumptions, and decisions that predict our romantic successes and failures, but the best way to improve our chances isn't to change our identity. Instead, could you keep it simple? Instead of catering to the preferences of others, cater to your own; be someone you like, and others will like you back.