KEY INSIGHT: First impressions feel like objective reality, but they’re actually incomplete snapshots that your brain treats as complete pictures. The halo effect and anchoring bias turn these snapshots into expensive assumptions that drive major decisions.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Think about a recent important decision you made about a person, opportunity, or investment. What was your very first impression? How much did that initial reaction influence your final choice? Looking back, what information did you ignore or dismiss because it didn’t fit that first impression?
TODAY’S EXERCISE: For the next week, before making any significant judgment about a person or opportunity, try to notice your first impression or better yet, jot it down. Then, actively seek out three pieces of information that contradict or complicate that initial assessment. Notice how this changes your perspective – and how difficult it is to truly consider contradictory evidence once your mind has formed that first impression.