“…the resonant clarity of each syllable made it sound like a new language spoken for the first time. It was the voice of a giant.” – The Fountainhead
Welcome back.
Tomorrow at midnight, The Path will close to new members — and when it does, our new masterclass…
Advanced Communication & Charisma
…Will only be available to those inside.
To mark the occasion, we’re dropping three (final) principles for:
- Upgrading your social intelligence
- Dissolving social anxiety
- Connecting more effortlessly with others
- Becoming magnetic in social settings
…And, feeling fully at home within your natural personality, everywhere you go.
Let’s jump in:
(continued from Part 1 and Part 2)
7. Avoid clichés and dead phrases.
Whatever has been heard many times before loses meaning.
“In a nutshell… It goes without saying… Bite the bullet… The writing is on the wall… Best thing since sliced bread…”
(funny story about that last one in point #9 below…)
Dead phrases turn the volume down in your listener’s mind, dulling their attention and therefore the impact of your words.
After all, if they’ve heard it before, why should they bother hearing it again?
So, in place of old, worn-out phrases…
8. Develop your power phrases.
Find unique ways of delivering an an otherwise ordinary message.
Here are a few of my favorites:
“Put your boots on the ground.” (ie. get to work)
“Tip of the spear.” (ie. most cutting edge)
“The kill shot.” (ie. what will finish the job)
“Sh*t or get off the pot.” (ie. shut up and do it)
“Paid in full.” (ie. put in the work)
“User error.” (ie. their fault)
Also take note of individual words that strike you as powerful…
“Formidable… Surgical… Precision… Ancient… Blazing… Masterful… Savage… Alchemy…”
…And, make an effort to replace dull, ordinary words with words of impact.
(Bonus: When you hear a word or phrase that strikes you, write it down, and keep a growing list in your phone and/or computer — you’ll recall them more easily when speaking.)
Just be sure to use these sparingly:
Power words & phrases are like seasoning; a pinch brings out flavor, a handful kills the dish.
9. Speak in stories and analogies.
You catch that?
“Power words & phrases are like seasoning; a pinch brings out flavor, a handful kills the dish.”
Instead of saying “don’t use power words and phrases too often”, I used an analogy to create a visual representation of the idea in your mind.
Stories work the same way:
“I was breaking up with my ex-girlfriend when she told me about a guy who likes her. ‘He thinks I’m the best thing since sliced bread,’ she said. But instead of feeling jealous, I only felt turned off by her use of such a dull, unimaginative, dead phrase. Our relationship ended later that day.”
Instead of saying “don’t use dead phrases”, I wove the principle into a relatable (and true) story that will be easily remembered the next time you find yourself speaking in cliché.
As you can see:
Stories and analogies are powerful delivery systems for ideas.
Master them.
I’ve been saying it since last week, and I’ll say it again here:
Communication is an S-Tier life skill.
It can revolutionize your your relationships, your work, and even your happiness, if you master it.
For — much, much — more, check out our new masterclass…
Advanced Communication & Charisma
…Now available inside The Path.
I hope we see you there.
– T
P.S. Quick reminder:
1. The Path closes tomorrow at midnight.
2. When it closes, our founders discount will close along with it…
3… And, whenever we re-open (date TBD) the price will increase from $49 per month to $99 per month.
Here’s where you can join us before the page expires.