First impressions last. We make up our minds about other people very quickly.
We form 90% of our opinions about others in the first four minutes, so it’s vital
you think about how you present yourself to others.
The next few sections are about communicating with others. Talking to other
people can be a nightmare when you lack confidence, especially if you’re meeting
them for the first time. But even though we don’t tend to think of it that way,
conversation is a skill we can all learn, starting with a few basic techniques, then
gradually developing our own style.
A sustained effort to improve yourlistening,conversational skills andassertive-
ness will enable you to reach new heights of confidence. Nothing brings
confidence more surely than knowing that you can talk to people easily; that you
always have something to say and know how to say it.
(^42) First impressions