Do you talk too much? Do you feel compelled to speak every time there is a lull in the conversation? When discussing a situation, do you do the most talking or the least? Have you given much thought to how often you speak your mind?
Few things are more revealing than a person’s speech. The more we talk, the more people know about what is in our heart and mind. When people speak often, it suggests that they believe what they have to say is important, or that they love to put words to their every thought.
But it may also reveal far more. It could reflect the fact that such people prefer to speak than to listen. It may suggest that they have little self-control. If they think it, they speak it. Often the more we speak, the more diluted is our contribution. If we had spoken once or twice, people would have listened because we were making a significant contribution. But when we speak ten or twelve times, we tend to repeat ourselves or to say things that others already know. Better to speak less often but to pack our speech with our best thinking.
How do your colleagues and friends respond when you speak? Do they listen intently as they glean fresh wisdom from your lips? Or do they patiently endure your latest monologue until they can finally jump in with their own ideas? One of the most difficult things for people who speak a lot to realize is that people are not as enamored with what they have to say as they think they are.