A wise fellow I once knew defined ‘luck’ as, ‘the point at which preparation meets opportunity’.
This definition helped change my perception on life as I have come to realize that indeed, the power is in your hands and leaving a lasting impression is up to you.
In a professional space that deals with establishing and nurturing relationships making an impression becomes vital.
I have heard people talk about the ‘4, 5, 6 steps’ and I believe all these are very effective, but in my short experience in the field I have also learnt other factors come into play.

Hindrances and Possible Solutions
Many times we have fears and questions. But funny enough, the power to respond to these questions is also in our hands. So let us explore the challenges and possibilities of reaching solutions.
Top of the list is fear of the unknown or lack of knowledge. The confidence and boldness you carry to speak or act upon a particular subject depends on how much you know about it. Therefore in order to make a good lasting impression, take time to research and equip yourself with the facts of whatever it is you intend to act upon.
Then you can speak with confidence because you come from a place of knowledge. Sounding impressive comes easy when everything is at your fingertips!
The second thing is timing. Orison Swett Marden, a famous American author of the 18th century once said ‘Don’t wait for extraordinary time. Seize common occasions and make them great. As human beings plenty of times we think that the “it time” will come with trumpets and drum-rolls, but with experience I have realized that you are in charge of that time and therefore create a vacuum of preparedness around you so that any time you see an opportunity you cease the chance to make a mark’.
The third aspect is the ‘mistake gap’. I can’t give you assurances that you will always get it right, but I know that when you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it.
Admit it. Learn from it and try not to repeat it. I understand we all come from different backgrounds and some are more judged than others. However frequently, the fear of trying then making an error can have a devastating effect. But the life journey ahead of you means it is worth a try. Every decision you make now to make an impression will determine how successful you will be come.
Let me just say ‘perfect starts’ don’t really exist.
Imperfection is far better than perfect inaction! Just start! If you take time to look at stories of those great people that have made an impression in our lives or we look up to, you realize why consistency matters.
They all started from somewhere, failed at certain points, but kept pushing forward. Therefore, you don’t have to be great to start you have to start to be great!
So without any contradictions for my points stated above, understand that you are human and therefore give it your best shot. Even if it didn’t go as planned take it as a learning curve and gather the purpose to do better.
Finally, understand your ‘motivation’. In other words, know the purpose and reason for your life and consequently the reason you intend to communicate. Knowing that it’s a personal journey will allow you to identify your focus and put yourself to the task, exceed in performance and rather than make a good impression, you will make a lasting impression!