5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It

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I know. I have done so too many times to count. I keep babbling on and on about something for far too long and fill the air with too many words.

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“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere”.
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“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere”.
Lee Iacocca

One of the trickier things about social skills is to get your message across.

One reason why people have difficulty with this is because they use more words than needed.

I know. I have done so too many times to count. I keep babbling on and on about something for far too long and fill the air with too many words.
<p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">How do you keep your wordcount down? I think you just have to try to be more </span></span><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">aware</span></span><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> and </span></span><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">alert</span></span><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">. Think about what you are about to say before it whooshes out of your mouth. Focus on what you really want to convey.</span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">Babbling on too much is, at least in my opinion, something that often comes from being too focused inward. Being too focused on yourself in a conversation.</span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">If you instead focus more outward you’ll be less self-conscious. This reduces nervous and slightly nonsensical babbling. </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">And if you focus more outward, on the people you are talking to and less on your own glorious voice and golden words you’ll be more aware of what you are saying and how the conversation is going. If you focus on the other guy/gal you’ll be more focused on getting through and more attentive to the reactions you bring out. </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">So, stay aware of what you want to convey. And focus much of your attention outward to reduce babbling and to be more alert to what’s happening and how your message comes across. Now, on to reason number one why you should keep it simple.</span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><strong><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">1. Clarity.</span></strong></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">Obviously. If you only use what is needed then there will be less room and risk for misunderstandings. And overall, the message usually gets through easier when someone keeps it simple. This has at least been my experience when I listen to people who keep it simple.</span></span></p><br/></blockquote><br/></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><strong><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">2. Emotional punch.</span></strong></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">Just like when <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2007/10/08/stephen-kings-top-7-tips-for-becoming-a-better-writer/">you’re writing</a>, keeping it simple can give your spoken words a bigger emotional punch. When your message is focused and clearly directed instead of muddled and lost in too many words it becomes more powerful.</span></span></p><br/></blockquote><br/></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><strong><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">3. Less risk of boredom.</span></strong></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">Even though you may think what you are saying is most interesting thing since we first discovered YouTube others may not share this feeling. If you keep it concise with a clear intention your message becomes more lucid, more emotionally powerful and probably shorter. So it becomes easier to keep the attention of your audience and actually get your message through. </span></span></p><br/></blockquote><br/></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><strong><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">4. You’ll be less eager to stroke your ego.</span></strong></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">Going on and on about something may be a way to show off your cleverness. Cleverness is overrated. It’s mostly a good way to feed your own ego. It’s not such a good way to get your point across. Or to become less self-conscious. </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">By complicating things and wanting to be clever you reinforce your negative habit. You’ll focus too much on yourself and what others may think of you.</span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">If you keep it simple and clear and if you focus on the people you are talking to</span></span><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> you’ll become more free to say what you want. It might not feel as good at first since you are not stroking your ego or reinforcing your cleverness. But I have found that in the long run it makes things easier and reduces some of your own inner limitations. The real, less self-conscious you gets more of a chance to shine through.</span></span></p><br/></blockquote><br/></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><strong><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">5. It keeps the rest of your communication more focused and aligned.</span></strong></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" align="left" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"></div><br/><div align="left"><br/><blockquote><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">If you keep your mind focused on what you are trying to convey and on the people you are talking to you are a lot more focused compared to if you just ramble on.</span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">When your mind is more focused on these two things the rest of your body plays along more easily. And your body language and voice tonality is 93 percent of your communication. </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span></p><br/><p style="line-height: 13pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="body"><span style="color: rgb(53, 53, 53);" lang="EN-GB">As you are more involved and attentive in the conversation more emotions like enthusiasm is pumped into how you are saying something. And your body language becomes more focused with an alert posture and, for example, with clearer hand gestures. You become more in sync with yourself and all parts of your communication become simpler, clearer and more powerful.</span></span></p></blockquote></div>
Actually, when people say too much it’s usually because they are afraid of being misunderstood. They can’t resist adding qualifiers to hedge their statements because they’re hyper-aware of the listener taking their remarks the wrong way. Ego? Really? I don’t think so.
It’s ironic how wordy the article is on a topic about simplifying your speech.
5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify Your Blog Post, and How to Do It

1.) Spell Check (forces you to rethink the Genesis Thought)

2.) Talk less about “why” and get to the “how” quicker:
- type out your blog post
- delete it
- retype it at 3 AM from memory
- finally, cut the word count in half
- shake, don’t stir

3.) It’s not a conversation; it’s about distilling mental images down to a base material that is easy enough for strangers to use at cocktail parties; not at the book of the month club.

4.) 3 reasons are more than enough.

5.) Teach don’t preach.
The ambition that inspired the article is great. So are the reasons, but maybe the “how to” is a little bit light? Just a thought. After all, we’ve all had that experience when we know we’ve just talked too much, bored the audience, confused our listener, and so on. The sell on why it’s worth simplifying seems like it could be pretty short. Learning to focus, though, is something one could write a book about… without over-explaining.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People,” by the way, gives several good tips on how to converse with people in a way that impresses (a great deal of which involves letting the other person do most of the talking). There are also language tips. For instance, you come across as smarter when you use words that are not “latinate,” which runs against common belief.

Another great tip is to take a look at story telling sites (there are professional storytellers) and study, as somebody suggested, joke telling. Both will give you an idea of how to keep the thread of conversation taut.

You might also keep a stopwatch running in your head and imagine that, each time you speak, you have only so much time you’re allowed to flap your gums and then it’s time to stop. Can you get in what you want to say in that time? The more this becomes a habit, the better you’ll get. Some of just conversing simply just comes from the realization that you don’t own the conversation. You owe the other people involved time for their own input.

That means not interrupting. That means asking questions. That means actually absorbing the details and listening for cues that lay open other opportunities for more questions (not an interrogation, but genuine interest), and so on.

You get the picture.