Need some conversation starters?

You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?

If you were to build a time machine, where and when would you travel first, and why?

If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which one would it be and why?

How would you train a pet octopus to perform tricks?

If you could live inside a book or movie, which book would it be and how would you navigate its world?

If you were to become a famous artist overnight, what kind of art would you create and what would your signature style be?

If you could shrink and resize any object and carry it around in your pocket, what would it be and why?

How would you organize a charity event to raise money for your favorite cause?

You are on the run. Who would you bring with you?

If you were to host a cooking show, what would your signature dish be?

If you could build one thing, what would you build?

What is the best advice you have ever given?

If you received a mysterious box with the power to grant any wish, would you open it?

If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Bonus: Sing or hum a snippet of it!

If you could distill one emotion into a potion and share it with the world, which emotion would it be, and how would it affect people?

If the universe is infinite, what lies beyond its boundaries?

You're in a room with your future self and your past self. What would they all talk about?

Square pizza or round pizza?

You've been tasked with inventing a new app that solves a universal problem. What would your app do, and what would you name it?

If your life were a movie, who would play your parents?

You wake up in a mysterious forest. Would you follow the winding river or climb the tallest tree?

If words danced like wind,
And laughter painted the sky,
What tale would you tell?

If you could paint something really well, what would you paint?

If you could contact aliens would you?

Do you believe in giving people second chances?

What is something from your childhood that shaped you into the person you are today?

What is your favorite ice breaker?

You have to hide a blender that never turns off and no one can find it. Where would you hide it?

What was the last movie that made you cry?

Tips and Tricks

  • Never underestimate the power of a smile. Making eye contact and smiling when starting a conversation with someone new will help put the other person at ease and make them feel more comfortable talking to you. It also tells your brain to produce endorphins which helps ease your own anxiety!

  • At every moment in a conversation, you always have two choices:

    1. Ask something about what they just said

    2. Relate what they just said to something about yourself

    Doing less of option #2 in favor of #1 leads to dramatically more intimate, engaged, meaningful conversations

  • Everyone has a lot to teach if you just listen. Don’t just listen to come up with the next thing to say. Instead, focus on what they are saying and let yourself become genuinely interested in the person.

    This may not be the most interesting thing you have ever talked about, but we don’t have be perfectly entertained at every moment to be happy!

  • This is last, not because you should introduce yourself last, but because we often forget how powerful a name can be. Say your name and remember theirs.