Elise Hu

In today's world of fleeting attention spans, you may only have a few seconds to turn a personal introduction into a career-building opportunity.

In this talk, communication expert Rebecca Okamoto shares why first impressions really do matter.

She presents an actionable step-by-step guide for how to introduce yourself in 20 words or less to leave a lasting positive impression.

So if you dread answering, tell me about yourself or struggle to explain what makes you unique, this talk is for you.

That was Rebecca Okamoto speaking at TEDx Northwestern U in Chicago in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Fasey-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

We are continuing to share a handful of talks, conversations, and episodes from the TED Archive that we hope will spark some inspiration as we think about the end of the year and the resolutions and practices we hope to bring into this new year.

It's a small and big question at the same time.

What makes for a meaningful life?

In this beautiful archive talk, social psychologist Brian S. Lowry explores three ideas tied to the experience of meaning and shows why simply pursuing personal achievements isn't the best way to find it.