The Surprising Power of Saying Less: How I Transformed My Communication Forever
There’s a quote often attributed to Blaise Pascal that captures this perfectly. He wrote in a letter, “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.”
Editing takes effort. Distilling your message down to its essence requires that you actually understand what you’re trying to say—and why it matters.
This applies everywhere.
- In business writing, brevity saves time and improves decision-making.
- In presentations, a concise message is more persuasive because people actually remember what you’ve said.
- In personal conversations, getting to the point shows respect for the other person’s time and attention.
When I started coaching clients on their personal brands, I noticed something interesting. The people who struggled most to articulate their value weren’t those who had nothing to say. They were the ones who had too much to say and couldn’t prioritise.
