Approximately 6,800 athletes from 205 countries participated in the spectacular procession that was The Olympics’ opening ceremony on Friday night. The ceremony took place on 85 boats across the iconic Seine River with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, attracting around 320,000 spectators along the riverbanks and broadcast to millions worldwide.
It was also an evening that went down in history as the first opening ceremony held outside a stadium, and featured some of the biggest global stars, including Celine Dion and Lady Gaga.
Talk about going big to make that first impression.
But was it a “good” impression? The jury’s still out on that one.
It got me thinking about those crucial first impressions we make daily. Does going “all out” guarantee you’ll tick all the boxes in someone else’s mind? Turns out, probably not. Chances are they’ll have decided how they feel about you before you even introduce yourself. Indeed, experts have conducted countless studies to figure out how quickly a first impression is formed. And most of this research suggests that all it takes is a single glance.
So, what does this tell us? Appearances matter. People have preconceived notions about what people are like based on how they look, carry themselves, and interact with others. And, most importantly, it tells us that you simply can’t impress everyone.
The opening ceremony was an example of this. Take the segment where drag performers parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”. While the intention was to promote inclusivity, the tableau sparked significant backlash instead. The Olympics organisers apologised for causing offence and tried to re-emphasise the reasons behind their creative decisions. Despite this, there are still plenty of hard feelings around the situation.
As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So, how possible is it to change someone’s mind if they’ve already counted you out? A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology showed new experiences that contradict our initial impression of someone or something are linked to the specific context in which they occur. For example, if you dislike a colleague initially but then have a positive experience with them at a party, you’ll likely only see them in a positive light in similar social settings but will continue giving them the side-eye at work.
My take-away is this: Aside from dressing professionally and putting on your friendliest smile, you have very little control over the first impressions you make – and a similar level of control when trying to change people’s perceptions of you.
But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Authenticity always shines through. Being genuine and owning your unique quirks and strengths won’t necessarily win you any gold medals, but it will earn you people’s respect.
A legacy of being true to yourself is the most impactful impression you can leave.
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