In my book, iSucceed, I devote an entire chapter to the concept of language because our words are merely a reflection of who we are, and by changing our language we have the ability to change ourselves.
Jim Rohn, one of the leaders in the field of self-development once said that words are “god-like.”
That may seem like an exaggeration, but I’ve found them to be true. In fact, words define our reality.
The way we see the world is confined to the words that we have.
But Jim Rohn then went on to say that the emotion, behind the words themselves, is what really touches us.
If you have ever seen the movie Braveheart I’m sure you’ll remember the famous line said by William Wallace – “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take…OUR FREEDOM.”
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie but can’t remember much about it now, but I have never forgotten that line.
The words are good, but the emotion with which it was said touched me.
Which is why we must do two things in communicating:
- Choose the right words
- Use the right amount of emotion
Whether it’s in talking to our loved ones or giving a speech, we need to select the appropriate words for our audience.
Usually, we wouldn’t use the same words when talking to businessmen as we would in talking to our children (although there may be times when we might have to).
Then we must be careful to put our emotion into the right areas.
By varying our emotion the listener can understand just which issues we place the most importance on.
A father who refrains from shouting in anger will be noticed when he raises his voice.
One who is constantly shouting loses the ability to emphasize points as well as the element of surprise.
Words and emotions when chosen correctly have the power to move millions – the greatest evidence of this was Martin Luther King himself. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to him speak, I encourage you to do just that.
Never underestimate the power of language.
Adrian Shepherd