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We all want to impress others, gain their respect and admiration, and seem powerful. And while trying to do those things we try to show off our talents, skills, and intelligence. However, here is the problem. We often say way too much to impress. And that makes us seem less in control and common. That is why it is important to always say less than necessary.
I learned this from my friend Dave who was able to get into jobs he was not qualified for. I met Dave back in college. He was an intelligent man that did not speak too much. I saw him as a powerful, unpredictable, and intelligent man that was clearly superior. After college, we started applying to jobs together. Despite not being qualified for some jobs, we decided to take our chances with them.
Both of us wanted to be negotiators at this one particular company that handled negotiations for big firms and governments. The job required you to be good at handling people and social skills since you would be negotiating. Fortunately, my resume was better than Dave’s.
Luckily, both of us got an interview at the company. Despite not being qualified for the job, both of us were thrilled to try it. Turns out, no one else except Dave and I had applied for the job. So the person getting hired would be one of us. I was pretty confident since my resume was better than his. Unfortunately, I was proven wrong after both of us got interviewed.
The company decided to hire Dave instead of me. It was quite devastating since I thought I was more qualified for the job. One day, I decided to ask Dave how he managed to get the job. His answer was quite simple: Always say less than necessary, when you’re trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear and less in control.
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
Authors Note
We wish our readers don’t just simply read this story but rather also reflect on the lessons mentioned. See if you can implement any of the lessons taught in your life.
Book: The 48 laws of power by Robert Greene
Lesson(s):
- Always say less than necessary
When you’re trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear and less in control. Even if you’re saying something obvious, it will seem original if you make it vague and open-ended. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
Notice: All of the content above is fictional.