Why you can’t articulate like you think
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the art of articulate communication, revealing three secrets to express thoughts effectively. The first secret emphasizes the importance of connotation, the rich tapestry of experiences behind words. It advises avoiding 'Blue Sky language' and using emotional bridging to connect with listeners. The second secret introduces 'whisper drafting,' a technique to refine thoughts before speaking. The third secret, cognitive priming, prepares the listener for calculated speech, enhancing understanding. The speaker also shares resources and personal software designed to improve articulate speech.
Takeaways
- 📚 The speaker read six books on articulate speaking and shares secrets and resources to improve speech.
- 🌐 Connotation is the rich background of experiences and emotions behind words, which is crucial for effective communication.
- 🎻 Speaking is like translating complex mental images into the limited bandwidth of spoken words, which can be challenging.
- 🚧 Language has limitations in expressing the full depth of our thoughts and emotions, requiring us to find ways to communicate more effectively.
- 🌈 Avoid 'Blue Sky language' that states the obvious and instead focus on unique details to enrich the connotation of our speech.
- 🔗 Use emotional bridging to connect with the listener by invoking shared emotional experiences, enhancing understanding.
- 🤔 Whisper drafting, a technique by Teddy Roosevelt, allows for a silent rehearsal of sentences before speaking them aloud.
- ⏱ Asking for more time to think before responding can improve the quality of our answers and avoid hasty replies.
- 💡 Cognitive priming sets the expectation that the speaker is choosing words with precision, increasing accountability and clarity.
- 📝 The speaker is developing software to help people articulate sentences and structure speech like history's greatest speakers.
- 🔗 The video provides a list of cognitive priming lines and resources for those interested in improving their speaking skills.
Q & A
What is the first secret to articulating thoughts effectively as mentioned in the script?
-The first secret is to share more connotation, which refers to the experiences, emotions, associations, memories, and images behind our words.
What does 'connotation' represent in the context of the script?
-Connotation represents the multitude of feelings, experiences, and associations that are packed behind the words we use, influencing how we express and understand language.
How does the script compare the process of speaking to a musical composer and an orchestra conductor?
-The script compares speaking to a musical composer channeling emotion into writing sheet music, and an orchestra conductor reading that music and transforming it into a lively performance, illustrating the translation of thoughts into spoken words and the listener's interpretation of them.
What is 'Blue Sky language' and why should it be avoided according to the script?
-Blue Sky language refers to unnecessary and obvious explanations that do not highlight the unique connotations of our thoughts. It should be avoided to access more of the connotation that makes our speech rich and real.
What is the purpose of 'emotional bridging' as a technique for effective communication?
-Emotional bridging helps forge a connection with the listener through shared emotional experiences, allowing for a more accurate packing and unpacking of thoughts into words.
How does 'whisper drafting' help in articulating thoughts more effectively?
-Whisper drafting allows a person to formulate a rough draft of their sentence silently, providing a chance to revise thoughts before speaking them aloud, similar to the process of writing.
What is the significance of asking for more time to think before answering a question?
-Asking for more time to think helps in providing a clear and well-structured answer, as it allows the speaker to gather their thoughts and avoid rushing into a response that may lack clarity.
What is 'cognitive priming' and how does it enhance communication?
-Cognitive priming is a technique where a speaker informs the listener that they are choosing their words with precision, which heightens attention and accountability in communication, leading to a more careful and intentional speech.
How does the script suggest using cognitive priming to improve speech?
-The script suggests using cognitive priming by prefacing statements with an indication of calculated word choice, which can slow down speech, increase accountability, and enhance understanding.
What resource is the speaker developing to help people articulate sentences and structure their speech?
-The speaker is developing software designed to assist people in composing articulate sentences and structuring their speech like history's greatest speakers.
How can the techniques and insights from the script be applied to improve one's communication skills?
-By understanding and incorporating connotation, avoiding Blue Sky language, using emotional bridging, practicing whisper drafting, asking for more time to think, and employing cognitive priming, one can enhance their ability to articulate thoughts and communicate effectively.
Outlines
📚 Articulation Secrets: Unpacking Connotation
The first paragraph discusses the concept of connotation in speech and its importance in effectively communicating thoughts and emotions. It uses the analogy of a musical composer to explain how our internal experiences are translated into spoken words, which the listener then interprets based on their own associations. The speaker identifies the limitation of language in fully conveying our rich internal experiences and introduces the idea of avoiding 'Blue Sky language' to enhance the depth of communication. The paragraph also introduces the technique of 'emotional bridging' to forge a connection with the listener through shared emotional experiences, helping to better convey the intensity and nuance of the speaker's message.
🗣️ Enhancing Verbal Expression: Techniques and Tools
This paragraph delves into the challenges of finding the right words to articulate clear thoughts and the frustration that arises from the gap between our thoughts and our verbal expression. It introduces Teddy Roosevelt's 'whisper drafting' technique as a method to revise sentences internally before speaking them aloud, akin to a painter testing colors on a canvas. The speaker also suggests requesting more time to think before responding, which can improve the clarity of communication. The concept of 'cognitive priming' is introduced as a way to train the mind to be more precise with word selection, making speech more intentional and effective.
🛠️ Cognitive Priming and Upcoming Speech Software
The final paragraph focuses on the technique of cognitive priming, which involves a deliberate and careful selection of words to communicate thoughts more effectively. The speaker explains how this technique can heighten the listener's attention and the speaker's accountability for their words. The paragraph concludes with an announcement of an upcoming software tool designed to help individuals articulate their thoughts more clearly, inviting interested viewers to stay tuned for its release.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Connotation
💡Blue Sky Language
💡Emotional Bridging
💡Whisper Drafting
💡Cognitive Priming
💡Mentalese
💡Articulation
💡Low Bandwidth Mechanism
💡Revise
💡Shared Understanding
Highlights
The concept of 'connotation' is introduced as the rich background of experiences and emotions behind our words.
Steven Pinker's term 'mentalese' is used to describe the internal language of the mind that we attempt to translate into spoken words.
The limitation of language in fully expressing our thoughts and emotions is discussed, highlighting the challenge of articulation.
Avoiding 'Blue Sky language' is suggested to prevent over-generalization and to convey unique connotations more effectively.
Emotional bridging is presented as a technique to connect with the listener through shared emotional experiences.
The importance of avoiding obvious explanations and focusing on unique details to enrich speech is emphasized.
Whisper drafting, a technique to revise sentences internally before speaking them aloud, is introduced as a solution to improve articulation.
The idea of requesting more time to think before responding is proposed as a strategy to enhance clarity in communication.
Cognitive priming is introduced as a method to increase precision and accountability in speech by carefully selecting words.
The difference between self-dialogue and conversation with another person is highlighted to emphasize the impact of social boundaries on speech.
A list of cognitive priming lines used in speeches and interviews is mentioned as a resource for improving articulate speech.
The speaker announces the development of software designed to help people articulate sentences and structure speech more effectively.
The importance of not expecting immediate responses and allowing time for thought to achieve clarity in answers is discussed.
The speaker's personal experience of building software in a 'dark closet' for several weeks is shared to illustrate dedication to the topic.
An invitation for those interested in speaking brilliantly to check a waitlist is extended, promoting further engagement with the speaker's work.
The speaker thanks the audience for watching, emphasizing the value of the shared knowledge and techniques for better articulation.
Transcripts
I read these six books on speaking
articulately and I want to share three
astonishing secrets and three resources
with you that have allowed me to finally
solve my problem of being unable to
articulate my thoughts the first secret
is to share more connotation connotation
refers to the multitude of experiences
emotions associations memories meaning
and images that are packed behind our
words let's visualize this if someone
speaks about war that idea a of war is
the representation of many feelings
passing through their mind they may have
seen war read about war watched War
films and know that people associate war
with tragedy and death the combination
of all these various elements creates
the language of the Mind what
psycholinguist Steven Pinker called
mental Lees speaking is our attempt of
translating mental Lees into the low
bandwidth mechanism that is the spoken
word our listener receives those words
and unfolds them into the experiences
associations emotions memories and
images that that word has for them think
of this process like a musical composer
experiencing emotion and channeling that
emotion into writing Sheep music an
Orchestra conductor can read the Sheep
music and guide the orchestra and
transforming those static notes on page
into a lively powerful performance of
Beethoven Symphony Number Five the
emotions that we experience listening to
this live music cannot possibly be
represented by Simple black and white
notation on
paper frustration with articulation
occurs when we expect our connotation to
be fully represented by our words and
transplanted somehow in our listener's
mind which is frankly an impossible ask
translating our 4D thoughts into what
really our 1D world words requires
compromise which often results in that
familiar sensation of not being able to
express ourselves
satisfactory these books make it very
clear that language simply does not give
us the full capacity to thoroughly
Express what we're thinking feeling
fearing wanting in a given moment but we
can't get close this invites the
question how can we
communicate more connotation so that one
our words better capture what it is
that's on our mind and two our listener
can unfold our words into something that
closely resembles what we experience two
actions have helped me accomplish this
the first is to avoid Blue Sky language
imagine I've painted a stunning
landscape and I've invited you to view
my artwork I explain to you that I
painted the trees green because most
trees are green and I painted this the
sky blue because well blue is the color
of the sky you'd probably find those
statements rather odd why well they're
unnecessary because you and I both share
a fundamental understanding of the
colors of nature this blue sky language
simply doesn't highlight the dynamic
colors and details that are unique to my
art the same is true with our words our
tendency is to explain the obvious this
often brushes over the connotation that
makes our thought feel rich and real
here's a list of the common Blue Sky
words and phrases that we unconsciously
default to that lead to our sentences
feeling lethargic and lifeless instead
ask yourself this question if I had to
defend this thought as being my
thought what details would I
highlight that most people wouldn't know
about these details descriptions access
more of the connotation that surrounds
your thought in your mind and leads to
great greater satisfaction with your
speech the second action is to use
emotional bridging this technique is a
brilliant one and involves forging a
connection with your listener through
shared emotional experiences for
example say I had a troubling day and I
told you I'm frustrated behind that
sentence is packed the weight of my
entire day as frustrating and troubling
as it is but unfortunately you unpack
that through your own connotation
which doesn't preserve the emotion and
intensity that I tried to stitch into
that sentence what I could say instead
is think of a recent time when you felt
frustrated recall that overwhelming
sensation that's what I'm experiencing
right now what's happening is you're
establishing common ground with how you
feel by inviting your listener to
identify their parallel experience this
helps you better pack your thoughts into
words and AIDS your listener in
unpacking those words more accurately so
we understand that connotation helps us
better articulate our thoughts but how
can we retrieve the right words because
frustration often also occurs when we
have a clear thought
but lack the verbal arithmetic to solve
it with words it's only after we turn
out muddled sentences do we realize
there's a discrepancy between what's in
our mind and what our mouth produced
people often bewail why can't I simply
speak like I write well what does
writing afford US that speaking does not
one the ability to revise our
sentences and two additional time to
think what if we could find a way to
introduce those qualities into our
speech I tripped over a technique
recently from Teddy Roosevelt called
whisper drafting Roosevelt was aware
that his first attempt at collapsing
thoughts into words would be a complete
wash out but he didn't want to populate
the air with vagueness so he would part
his mouth slightly front teeth together
and he would say his sentence out loud
under his breath barely breathing the
words you likely can't hear that but
you're moving your tongue without moving
your lips to others this appeared to be
a pause but to Roosevelt it was his
first attempt at formulating a rough
draft of his sentence without speaking a
out think of it as coloring in a tree on
a canvas you can theorize what shades of
green might enhance your painting but
it's only after you've put paint on the
canvas that it becomes obvious that it
was or was not the right choice of color
whisper drafting is a brilliant
technique I've used it often and it
allows you to color in your thoughts
before committing to speaking those
words aloud this solves the revision
challenge how about supplying ourselves
with more time to think well we we can't
make up more
time or can we we've all been told to
pause before that's not what I'm
suggesting but what if we ask for more
time could it be as simple as saying
give me a moment to think about that or
let me process that for a moment what
Elite communicators realize is that
coughing up an answer immediately is
often a self-imposed burden a form of
intellectual sabotage whereby you
sacrifice Clarity for a Swift
Delivery when we're asked a
question it often is comparable
to a calm pool of water being disrupted
by a stone the Ripples and waves need to
settle down before a calm clear answer
can be produced that takes time which
you can request by using any of these
phrases that I've collected this
resource will be linked below the final
secret I want to introduce you to is
cognitive priming it's no secret that
many of us battle daily with finding the
kernel of our thought particularly if
we've never before attempted to
translate it into words frustration
overtakes us not because we're not
saying what we're thinking but because
what we're saying is shrouded in bubble
wrap cardboard wrapped in duct tape
packed in a crate and buried in a
shipping container under a pile of
potatoes putting our thoughts into words
can often feel like blindly slinging
darts at a dart board we eventually hit
a bullseye but at the cost of too many
attempts how can we train our mouth to
be more accurate so that each of our
sentences contributes to building out
our thought before we answer that I want
to pose a question to
you what is the
difference between speaking to yourself
in the
mirror and dialoguing with
someone in a
conversation
well alone you can say anything you want
to yourself but with another there are
social boundaries that govern your
speech and shape it to be more
considerate delicate or intentional in
other words you're accountable for your
words with another person there's
another layer of accountability that we
can introduce that will help you be even
more selective with your speaking
introducing cognitive priming I want you
to listen very carefully I'm going to
choose
every word with Precision I realize
you're not going to understand what I'm
going to say and I know that by me
saying that you're going to want to
prove me wrong and understand it even
more that's cognitive priming it's a
preamble that informs your listener that
you are bringing an incredible amount of
effort and calculation with selecting
your words this achieves two things very
well one assuming you're speaking with a
single person it breaks the stale
automated back and forth of the
conversation and galvanizes the
attention so you're both in this
heightened state of trying to achieve a
shared understanding of what's been
communicated the second thing it
accomplishes well is putting you in a
position where you're now more
accountable for what you have to say
you've communicated that you are about
to speak with calculation your mind now
becomes more careful with how you shape
your words typically this is accompanied
by a slower calmer way of speaking to
help you with cognitive priming I've
assembled below a list of the top
cognitive priming lines that I found
used in speeches and interviews finally
I wanted to let you know that I've been
in a dark closet for several weeks now
building software that I believe will
help people compose articulate sentences
and structure their speech like
History's Greatest articulators I'll be
releasing this very soon if you're
interested in speaking brilliantly and
beautifully please check the weight list
below and as always thanks for watching
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