The more words we use, the less people will remember them, but if we prioritize the important stuff and leave out the extras, your listener— be it your child, your cleaning lady, or your boss— will grasp the message, and it will stick
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s that 30-minute mussar speech not getting you anywhere, or worse yet, aggravating the situation? Don’t raise your voice or waste your breath making additional points. Try one of these simple sentences to get your message across quickly and clearly
Advertisers figured it out a long time ago; keep the message brief and it will grab people’s attention.
The processing capacity of the conscious mind has been estimated at 120 bits per second. (The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload by Daniel J. Levitin). The more words we use, the less people will remember them, but if we prioritize the important stuff and leave out the extras, your listener — be it your child, your cleaning lady, or your boss — will grasp the message, and it will stick.
Cut out the blah-blah and replace it with lean one-liners, heeding the words of a noted inspirational speaker: “Take it from me. Don’t give speeches unless you’re paid for it!” Or, as Frankin D. Roosevelt said, “Be sincere, be brief, be seated.”
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