Being articulate” is a skill I feel like I do not have, and I would like to practice this skill.”
becomes
I’m not articulate, and I want to practice being more articulate
You can stop using filler words by not using them! Know what you’re going to say when you talk. If you don’t know what to say next, don’t say “um.” You should stand there, quietly, until you have something to say. That is powerful. Listen to someone who has a refined speaking style like Ted Cruz and notice how he never says um. You should also watch the Cambridge Union debates and listen to how the more eloquent speakers speak in rehearsed phrases. The best way to sound smart is to spend hours preparing something and present it as if you made it up on the spot. Really smart people will have a ton of prepared phrases, so many that they can talk on a wide variety of topics by saying something they already know how to say and just modifying it a little.
The best way to sound smart is to spend hours preparing something and present it as if you made it up on the spot. Really smart people will have a ton of prepared phrases, so many that they can talk on a wide variety of topics by saying something they already know how to say and just modifying it a little.
You can use less weasel words.
becomes
and less passive voice
becomes
You can stop using filler words by not using them! Know what you’re going to say when you talk. If you don’t know what to say next, don’t say “um.” You should stand there, quietly, until you have something to say. That is powerful. Listen to someone who has a refined speaking style like Ted Cruz and notice how he never says um. You should also watch the Cambridge Union debates and listen to how the more eloquent speakers speak in rehearsed phrases. The best way to sound smart is to spend hours preparing something and present it as if you made it up on the spot. Really smart people will have a ton of prepared phrases, so many that they can talk on a wide variety of topics by saying something they already know how to say and just modifying it a little.
Retrospective: I found this particularly helpful