But These Are Just Words

Too few words, and you sound transactional.
Too many words, and you sound distracted.

If the words are too big, you lose attention.
If the words aren’t big enough, you sound like sound bites.

If you give your word and can’t follow through, you lose credibility.
If you don’t give your word at all, nobody will know if you’re even credible.

But these are just words.

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If you write an article, and it has body (a start, a middle, and a finish), you get to make a point. You get to think while writing it. You get to make people consider. You get to remind people of what they used to think, but forgot, hoped to think, but gave up.

If you write sales copy, you could use the right words, the official sell words (act quick!), and you can get a few bucks. Or you can buck those trends and write to a person. To the person you want to help make progress, to their struggling situation, directly. You get to make that person say “I feel understood” and then pay you in attention.

If you re-write the thoughts that you catch your ego pushing, you get to re-write your behaviour in real time.

If you write the story of the rest of your life, you get to change how it will end.

But these are just words.

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People won’t remember only the words you speak, or only the words you write. Yes, your actions will get their judgment, so act according to your word, and they’ll remember.

“Yes, you did say you were going to do that, and you did.”

“I read your article, and it inspired me to craft my own voice.”

“I fell on the service offering page you wrote up. When are you available? Sign me up.”

“I saw how you were able to behave yourself in that tense situation. That was impressive.”

Today, a lot of people’s words are empty. But because your words made a difference, your words will have had content.