Sometimes Nothing Said is the Best Answer

We each have that moments when the words come out of our mouth before we realize their impact and once we realize their impact we cringe. We said too much or the wrong thing and we can never get those words back. Ugh! We then spend hours, days, months or even years trying to repair the damage a few syllable were able to inflict.

As someone who talks a lot I have had more than my share of these moments, both as the speaker and the listener. We forget the power our words have on our lives, our relationships and our work. Wisdom is knowing how to use words, which ones, and which ones to avoid. True enlightenment comes when we have wisdom and choose to employ it.

There is great enlightenment in the saying that silence is golden. Power does not mean you have to say it all, usually the most powerful person in the room is the one saying nothing. Those who understand the power of silence figure that one out early. Those who fail to learn the lesson of silence usually fail to learn it on multiple occasions until the sting of embarrassment or pain kicks into high gear. Try it out, try being the one listening instead of talking and see how it impacts your ability to be effective. More is not always better, sometimes nothing said is the best answer.