{"id":1382,"date":"2023-01-30T16:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T22:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agri-search.com\/?p=1382"},"modified":"2023-01-30T16:35:02","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T22:35:02","slug":"our-words-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agri-search.com\/our-words-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Words Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Our Words Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Humans speak their first fully-formed words sometime between 9 \u2013 12 months of age. \u00a0It\u2019s a big deal, delighting our parents and launching us into the world of interactive communication. \u00a0For the rest of our lives, words are the foundation of (almost) everything we do. \u00a0Psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson says, \u201cIf you can think, speak and write, you are absolutely deadly. Nothing can get in your way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If Dr. Peterson is right, then why are we so often inattentive to, and careless with, the manner in which we use our words? \u00a0There are lots of possible answers, but a step back reveals a couple of big themes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Thoughtlessness and impulsivity<\/li>\n<li>Talking to much<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Thoughtlessness and Impulsivity<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sounds harsh, right? \u00a0Thoughtless and impulsive aren\u2019t character traits that most of us aspire to, right? \u00a0Yet when we think deeply, the terms are accurate. \u00a0The key is to remove our cognitive bias, understanding that when we are thoughtless or impulsive, it doesn\u2019t mean we are mean-spirited or stupid. \u00a0It means we weren\u2019t being mindful. \u00a0We reacted. \u00a0There was no gap between stimulus and response. \u00a0Keep in mind that hearing is not listening; active listening requires temporarily setting your world aside and concentrating on the other person\u2019s message and meaning. \u00a0Evaluations, decisions and reactions can come later.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Talking Too Much<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Talking too much is all about math. \u00a0It\u2019s the law of probabilities at work \u2013 the more words we speak or write, the higher the likelihood we will say or write some we regret. \u00a0We also greatly increase the chances the audience for those words loses interest and tunes us out.<\/p>\n<p>Do not underestimate the importance that words have when either strengthening bonds or fracturing them. \u00a0Regardless of whether the words are spoken or written in a casual interaction, in a frustrating or disappointing situation, or during a critical review, be acutely aware of the power of your vocabulary. \u00a0Our words matter, and we can always be more attentive to them and careful with them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Making Our Words Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To be, as Jordan Peterson says, absolutely deadly, with nothing getting in our way, it is important to recognize that \u201cusing our words\u201d is something we must work to improve. \u00a0The most successful people treat this as a craft they are honing continuously. \u00a0Here are some suggestions to ensure that your words matter:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1:\u00a0 Pre-Game Your Conversation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is, without question, one of the most valuable things you can do.\u00a0 Before speaking or writing \u2013 whenever possible \u2013 prepare mentally in advance. \u00a0What do you plan to say? \u00a0How do you plan to say it? \u00a0Speak it out loud so you hear how it sounds. \u00a0You\u2019ll be amazed at how often it improves both the actual words you choose and the volume of words you use. \u00a0Mark Twain said, \u201cThe difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.\u201d<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>2:\u00a0 Eliminate Unnecessary Words<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Great communicators are masters of efficiency. \u00a0They don\u2019t waste words. Consider the word \u201cjust\u201d, for example. \u00a0Consider eliminating this word. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Because it diminishes whatever follows it. \u00a0\u201cI just called to say I love you.\u201d (Thanks Stevie Wonder). \u00a0\u201cI just wanted to get an update on the project status.\u201d Prefacing with \u201cjust\u201d diminishes the importance of communicating love or getting that project update.\u00a0 Other words that fall into this category are \u201creally,\u201d \u201cquite,\u201d and \u201cliterally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>3:\u00a0 Say What You Mean<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s another opportunity to remove cognitive bias from the equation. \u00a0\u201cBeing direct\u201d gets a bad rap. \u00a0One can be direct in a manner that isn\u2019t unpleasant. \u00a0Being direct conveys confidence. \u00a0It positions you as authentic and transparent. \u00a0It saves time and reduces the risk of being misinterpreted. \u00a0Consider the above two examples stated differently: \u201cI called to say I love you\u201d and \u201cI want to get an update on the project status.\u201d\u00a0 Those are much stronger statements that are received much differently in the absence of \u2018just\u2019 one word.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4:\u00a0 Use Simple Words<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A master of brevity and wit, Churchill said, \u201cShort words are best and old words when short are the best of all.\u201d \u00a0Simple words are sharp, clear and to the point. \u00a0Our brains, eyes and mouths don\u2019t struggle with them. \u00a0Simple words get your message across fast. \u00a0In today\u2019s attention-deficit world where so many don\u2019t want to read or listen, simple words are a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5:\u00a0 Use Bullet Point Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Talking too much is often caused by social anxiety. \u00a0Thinking and communicating around a small number of bullet points can be extremely helpful. \u00a0Concise bullets are mental anchors that provide comfort and keep us from drifting too far off track with our words.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6:\u00a0 Practice the Two-Second Rule<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is easy to say and hard(er) to do. \u00a0Count for two seconds before replying to something that\u2019s said to you. \u00a0There are several benefits to this practice, one of which is to allow yourself a moment to formulate a response \u2013 enough time (hopefully) to avoid one that is thoughtless or impulsive.<\/p>\n<p>We spend a huge percentage of our waking hours with words. \u00a0A University of California, San Diego study estimated the average American consumes over 100,000 words every day. \u00a0The ambient noise level in our lives has never been higher. \u00a0How do we break through so that we can be heard?\u00a0 \u00a0By making sure our words matter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our Words Matter Humans speak their first fully-formed words sometime between 9 \u2013 12 months of age. \u00a0It\u2019s a big deal, delighting our parents and launching us into the world of interactive communication. \u00a0For the rest of our lives, words are the foundation of (almost) everything we do. \u00a0Psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson says,  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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