Can we prepare our thoughts? While we can’t always plan for the things we think, we can prepare what we have been thinking before we share it with the world.
Why is it important to prepare before sharing?
In communication, we can generally tell when someone is ranting, streaming, or digressing. Without a clear focus, words can become quite confusing, even misleading. Facial expressions can be interpreted in countless ways without specific context or correlating body language.
As a teacher of writing, I am always striving to identify the thesis in my students’ essays. The thesis should be a concise articulation of what the main idea is, serving as an introduction before the bulk of the writing gets very far. If I don’t know what the point is that a writer is driving at, it is hard to reflect upon it.
Three thought preparation tips I transfer from the academic field to the professional realm:
Clear intent.
Ample time.
Calm mood.
Basically, be sure of what you say before you say it. Revise your writing before publishing it. Give yourself plenty of time to make changes as you process. Sometimes the act of writing or brainstorming serves as the gateway to what you are really driving at. Don’t let your first draft represent your novel, or your brainstorm represent your big speech. Lastly but not leastly, do the things that bring you to a place of calm. These might be fast-paced and intense workouts or mellow sessions of meditation. All communication is most effective when transmitted calmly.
I wanted to keep this piece short and sweet as you move into the first weekend of 2025.
May you be well and wondrous!
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