0:00:21.076,0:00:22.222
(Mumbling) Hi, everyone.

0:00:22.238,0:00:25.335
My name is Walker Steck,[br]and I would just like to talk to you guys

0:00:25.353,0:00:28.389
about the connection[br]between first impression and ...

0:00:28.419,0:00:31.398
(Normal talking) No, I'm just kidding.[br]That would be terrible.

0:00:31.437,0:00:32.356
Hi, everyone!

0:00:32.396,0:00:35.405
As I said up here rather quietly,[br]my name is Walker Steck,

0:00:35.460,0:00:37.939
and I'd like to talk to you guys[br]about the connection

0:00:37.939,0:00:40.242
between first impression[br]and future relationship.

0:00:40.242,0:00:43.668
Now, as I just stood up here,[br]rather, or - oh my gosh, sorry.

0:00:43.691,0:00:47.047
As I stood up here, holding on[br]to my index cards for dear life,

0:00:47.075,0:00:50.073
you all did a little something[br]called making a first impression.

0:00:50.073,0:00:51.240
And it's not your fault.

0:00:51.240,0:00:54.920
We all - oh my, I didn't get the clicker.

0:00:56.128,0:00:57.141
Sorry, guys.

0:00:59.295,0:01:00.157
Thank you.

0:01:00.191,0:01:03.958
Okay, so as humans,[br]we form 10 to 20 images

0:01:04.021,0:01:06.211
of what we think[br]a person's personality is like

0:01:06.241,0:01:08.317
based on 15 seconds of conversation.

0:01:08.488,0:01:10.015
Now, let's do the math.

0:01:11.126,0:01:12.911
Of these 10 to 20 images -

0:01:12.953,0:01:16.116
let's say we meet two new people a day[br]for seven days a week;

0:01:16.173,0:01:19.011
that's about 200 new images[br]that we have created of people

0:01:19.049,0:01:22.274
just based on 200 seconds of conversation.

0:01:23.561,0:01:24.995
Now, another fun fact:

0:01:26.054,0:01:28.963
85% of these images[br]are going to be just dead wrong,

0:01:29.004,0:01:32.338
not even in the same ballpark[br]of what the person's personality is like,

0:01:32.338,0:01:36.595
and only 15% are going to be remotely true[br]of how they act around people.

0:01:37.272,0:01:38.226
Now, let me tell you

0:01:38.226,0:01:41.093
about a little personal narrative[br]I [read], ironically titled

0:01:41.093,0:01:43.374
"Making a First Impression,"[br]by Maggie Scarf.

0:01:43.374,0:01:46.123
In the article, Scarf talks[br]about meeting a guy at a bar.

0:01:46.123,0:01:48.311
The two get to talking.[br]Things are going great.

0:01:48.311,0:01:50.458
A little laughter,[br]give-take conversation,

0:01:50.458,0:01:52.842
everything you look for[br]in a good first impression.

0:01:52.842,0:01:53.955
But she slips up.

0:01:54.070,0:01:56.538
One bad reaction to a joke.[br]She didn't laugh.

0:01:56.959,0:01:59.421
And in one or two seconds[br]of awkward silence,

0:01:59.481,0:02:03.234
the two have shut down any chance[br]of any sort of connection in the future.

0:02:03.644,0:02:05.408
Now, I know what you're all thinking.

0:02:05.408,0:02:08.844
"Why do I need to hear the story[br]about the girl who doesn't get the guy?"

0:02:08.844,0:02:09.769
And you don't.

0:02:09.769,0:02:12.196
I'm not here to tell you[br]about everyone's sad story,

0:02:12.196,0:02:13.865
because I can't - there's too many.

0:02:13.865,0:02:17.447
I am standing here in front of you[br]today on this TEDx stage

0:02:17.532,0:02:18.532
to make you aware

0:02:18.532,0:02:21.458
of how seriously we all take[br]these infamous first impressions.

0:02:22.159,0:02:24.309
Now, after all these numbers and stories,

0:02:24.339,0:02:28.143
some of you still might not be 100% sure[br]about what it is I'm trying to say.

0:02:28.326,0:02:29.462
So let me tell you.

0:02:29.781,0:02:31.994
I'm just asking you to consider my points.

0:02:32.114,0:02:35.197
The next time you meet someone, [br]ask a few more questions,

0:02:35.257,0:02:36.828
stay interested in their answers,

0:02:36.828,0:02:39.996
just keep the conversation[br]alive long enough

0:02:40.052,0:02:42.584
so that you're actually able[br]to form an accurate image

0:02:42.584,0:02:44.033
of what the person is like.

0:02:44.098,0:02:48.482
If you jump to conclusions too quickly,

0:02:48.508,0:02:51.080
you may never know[br]what the relationship could be like.

0:02:51.561,0:02:52.848
When I was in eighth grade,

0:02:52.848,0:02:54.988
my discovery teacher,[br]Ms. Magia, once told me,

0:02:54.988,0:02:58.242
"Walker, you miss 100%[br]of the shots you don't take."

0:02:58.532,0:03:01.482
Now, I found this quote[br]to be rather relevant to the situation,

0:03:01.482,0:03:03.247
so I took a little spin on it myself:

0:03:03.247,0:03:05.383
"You end every friendship[br]you don't start."

0:03:05.383,0:03:07.454
Good, yeah? Good, yeah?

0:03:07.665,0:03:08.666
Whatever.

0:03:08.666,0:03:13.268
The point is that you could be talking[br]to your soulmate, long-term best friend,

0:03:13.298,0:03:15.757
maybe even husband or wife in the future,

0:03:15.820,0:03:17.198
and it can all be thrown away

0:03:17.208,0:03:20.213
if you jump to conclusions[br]about their personality too soon.

0:03:20.369,0:03:21.780
So, just do me a favor.

0:03:21.831,0:03:24.550
Next time you meet someone,[br]try all these things:

0:03:24.639,0:03:26.033
the intriguing conversation,

0:03:26.033,0:03:28.543
the time extension[br]on the first conversation,

0:03:28.718,0:03:31.628
because I promise you one day[br]you'll look back and just think,

0:03:31.628,0:03:34.916
"Oh, man, that kid was right.[br]I wish there was some way to thank him."

0:03:34.916,0:03:36.590
"Thewalk101@gmail.com"

0:03:36.590,0:03:39.529
if you truly just can't wait[br]to thank me for my genius advice.

0:03:39.529,0:03:40.529
(Laughter)

0:03:40.529,0:03:41.620
No, only a joke.

0:03:41.685,0:03:43.298
But, in all seriousness,

0:03:43.310,0:03:46.354
you will be thankful that you spent[br]15 extra seconds of your life

0:03:46.354,0:03:49.872
talking to someone who you could spend[br]the next 15 years of your life with.

0:03:49.872,0:03:50.884
Thank you.

0:03:50.884,0:03:52.536
(Applause)

0:03:52.536,0:03:54.200
(Cheers)