Words Matter

Words are the raw materials of thoughts. When spoken or read, the mind automatically converts words or phrases into mind pictures. When you write or speak, in a sense you are a projector showing movies in the minds of others. Therefore, the words we speak or write are very important. Suppose you say “we face a problem”. By this statement, you create in the minds of others of something difficult and unpleasant to solve. If instead you say “we face a challenge”, you create a mind picture of fun, sport, something pleasant to do.

People have jobs because they spoke the right words during the interview. Relationships are the same, you’re in it because you spoke words or words were spoken to you and you responded positively. Unfortunately, words also have a negative force, such as starting wars or fights. Most wars or fights are started not because someone fired a shot, but because someone spoke words that rubbed off on someone the wrong way. What is required is to harness the power of words for positive outcomes.

Many organizations have known the truth about the power of words and that is why they choose words very carefully to project themselves. A point in case is Nike “Just Do It”; US Army “Be all you can be”; McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it”. Others use phrases like “You can go anyway from here”; “Some people just know how to fly”; “Where others have scratched the surface, we dig deeper”; “Go on, after all you’re a tiger”. Ross Perot, the famed billionaire said “one good idea can enable a man to live like a king the rest of his life”. Ideas are expressed through words. Begin to use words and phrases which produce big, positive mental images, you will be surprised by the level of success.