Think Before You Talk

Speech, to be convincing, has to have thought in it. Most speech is let loose hastily, and is mere dull chatter. If you doubt that, listen to any conversation on the street or in a public place. People repeat cant phrases, use stock expressions. Seldom is their mind more than half on what they are saying.

Most men who talk well talk a good deal. The idea that the silent man is wise is foolish. But the good talker is the thinking talker. You can no more talk intelligently without having your mind on what you are doing than you can hit a golf ball without thinking about hitting it.

Next to your personal appearance, your conversation is what makes impressions that count for or against you. You may be your own boss, or be bossed by someone else. But whatever you are doing you must impress others with your ability, or it will be of no value to you. To do that you must know how to talk, and you can’t know how to talk without learning to talk.

If you have an idea to express, put it into words in you mind before you commit it to your tongue to utter. Make it brief and clear, and easily understandable. All the big words you can find in the dictionary will not help you as much as a few short words that the man you are talking to can understand.  Clearness is the first thing considered by great speakers and great writers. To get their ideas in the minds of other people they must express them all.

You will talk clearly and convincingly if you think clearly first. It will take time to do that if you have got the vicious habit of talking hastily, and saying the first thing that is handy to your tongue. Be sure first that what you are going to say has sense in it, second that it is clearly expressed. Then talk as much as you like. You will never want for attention and appreciative listeners. (Copyrighted, 1920).