Let’s face it. Communicating is what we do the most and consequently pay attention to the least. Beyond that curious enigma of sorts comes a rather enlightening stat. According to Compton’s Encyclopedia, the total number of words in the English language is around 750,000. Of that number, we typically, or better said “habitually” use around 500 to 2000 words which represents only one half of one percent of the language.
This in my opinion deserves your attention, and here’s why. Words have incredible power. It’s no secret that in today’s economy, insight, probably more than anything else, is most surly rewarded. Your linguistic ability (or lack thereof) to articulate those moments of insight and inspiration will have everything to do with the outcome.
Neurologists have gone as far to say that discovering and phonetically shaping the best word or words to express the content of a thought and the feelings that accompany it is the key to having a better understanding of the nature of our own individual existence. In simpler terms, our linguistic abilities have a lot to do with shaping who we are as individuals. By expanding your habitual vocabulary you’ll have a better chance transforming intangibles to tangibles and abstract thoughts into clear visions. But this just doesn’t sound easy, does it?
The Problem
You’re a mass of thoughts and ideas. But your inability to clearly and competently articulate those thoughts and ideas, or feelings you’ve experienced leaves you looking like Mr. Vague at best time and time again. On top of that, without actually being aware of it you’ll put your thinking process at a disadvantage by a continual lack of “active” verbs which puts you in a more passive form of speaking when conveying your thoughts and ideas. You replace active verbs with passive phrases such as I wish, or maybe it will, or the classic if only. The impression you’re leaving due to your choice of language ends up being a far cry from what you know you’re worth, and capable of.
The Solution
Make a decision to dedicate part of your valuable time to boosting your linguistic intelligence, and this can be done quite easily with very little time involved in two different mediums.
First, expand your vocabulary through listening regularly to accomplished speakers. This becomes a viable language building alternative (if engaged regularly) as your brain has what are called “mirror neurons,” a cognitive tool that gives us the ability to mimic and emulate characteristics of those that have captured our attention. And here’s what makes this a walk in the park to accomplish. Just hit the net and go to TED talks. There are over 1900 presentations from speakers all over the planet, and the max time of their presentation is 18 minutes. Listen, and learn.
Secondly, as simplistic as this sounds; commit to reading more books…and…have a dictionary at your side when you do. In my opinion, nothing will expand your vocabulary quicker than an educated read. What I mean by an educated read is every time you run across a word you’re not sure of, take a quick moment and look it up. If you keep any type of consistency to this endeavor at all, your linguistic intelligence will expand more than you know, not to mention what you’ll be gaining from the book intellectually.
Some Thoughts
OK, I can already hear the chant that no one has the time to read books these days…got it! So here is a solution to that enigma. Most books come in at around 200 pages, so here’s what you do. Read ten pages a day, just ten, Monday through Friday – weekends off. In just one month you will have completed your text for literally minutes in the day.
Now, let me take that one step further. I call it the 10/12 plan. What if you kept to that commitment of 10 pages a day over the course of a year? Remember, we’re just talking minutes out of the day. In one years time you will have completed 12 books on whatever subject you’ve chosen to engage in. That amount of study is almost equivalent to the work you would do to obtain an Associates degree, not to mention the serious expertise you’ll now command on your subject matter. In essence, what we’re doing here beyond the obvious intellectual gains is heightening our intrapersonal intelligence, our ability to connect and interact with others.
What I’ve presented in both of the solutions I’ve offered you is a technique I’ve used as a teacher over the last thirty years. Fundamentally, it’s a two or three for one program, working on something that has multiple benefits. If you’re reading (and listening) on a constant basis, your linguistic intelligence takes a jump, your intellectual prowess takes a jump, and with those two in play I have little to no doubt that your confidence will take a jump as well. Looks like a three for one in my book.
