But then, the vibe shifts.

For some reason, the mood darkens and you suddenly realize that this moment – this uncomfortable feeling – is how they’ll always think of you.

It’s something we’ve all experienced.

Perhaps you felt it in the middle of a job interview or salary negotiation. Maybe you were making a crucial point in a meeting or talking with senior management. It can happen when asking someone on a date, speaking with a celebrity, making sales, or landing clients, too. It can even occur when you first meet your daughter’s new boyfriend.

In every high-stakes social interaction, there’s usually a pivotal moment where you realize things are going really well and you’ve won them over. A moment where, if it were a movie, you’d be walking off into the sunset wearing a grin.

This pivotal moment is almost always unspoken and often unnoticed. But you can spot it by understanding how to read body language. When you see it, that’s your cue to wrap up while you're ahead.

Because like the new neighbors at the BBQ, anything you say after that pivotal moment can unravel everything you just achieved. The mood will darken, and you’ll know you went too far.

So you need to "close" the conversation, quickly and gracefully, at just the right time.

Knowing that moment is one of the reasons understanding body language is so important. And the more you know about body language, the more prepared you’ll be in all kinds of high-stakes situations.

So – what’s the most effective way to become fluent in body language?

I admit I may be a bit biased, but I suggest my Body Language Success Code program. As far as I know, it’s the only online body language training program in the world that teaches you not only how to use body language to give off specific high-status signals to others, but even more crucially, how to read body language in high-stakes situations