Does Thinking About Speaking Count?

I've been thinking a lot about blogging lately - in fact I've got a whole list of ideas for this blog lined up for future weeks. Yet, I haven't blogged here in over a week, and even that one was book review - albeit for a good book. Heck I've even got 5 more books read and ready to review to add to the list of potential posts.

Of course, those ideas sitting listed in my Evernote file won't exactly help YOU Speak & Deliver, will they?

Back to the post title - Does Thinking About Speaking Count?

Well - yes and no. 

No.

- if you spend your time thinking instead of speaking, your thoughts do no one any good, most likely, other than you, and maybe not even you, if they remain unsaid. They either fester or die.

- if you spend your time thinking instead of speaking, you can lose a lot of ideas, unless you take the step to write them down and expand on them. Even then, if they're just speeches in a file, well, see above.

- if you spend your time thinking instead of speaking, you'll no doubt see other people speaking about what you're thinking, which means you'll just go back and think some more.

- if you spend your time thinking instead of speaking, you'll never get feedback on what you have to say, which, while leading you back to more thinking, will at least advance it a bit.

Yes.

- because blurting out thoughts that aren't thought out enough can be dangerous, after all.

- because well-thought out speaking results in a prepared, and more powerful, speaker.

- because well-thought out speaking will likely cover more of the important subject matter than some rant you came up with an hour ago. (just listen to my podcasts for proof of that - though I'm starting to think a bit more before hitting that record button)

- because well-thought out speaking will hopefully include thoughts about your audience, focusing what you have to say to their needs as opposed to your own.

Looks like a pretty even battle - but I believe, ultimately, speaking outweighs thinking, if only by a pound or two.

Thought can paralyze, while speaking can galvanize. Spend too much time in your own mind, and the words may never come out, never be given the exposure they need to improve over time. They will never effect others, unless they specifically come out through action, but that's a whole different topic. They won't spread your ideas and your vision.

I will admit, thinking about speaking counts - as long as it leads to speaking. Find your balance, but ultimately, always push yourself to speak your thoughts, share your experiences, voice your opinions, and be heard in the world - or the world may never know you're there.

As Red, from The Shawshank Redemption might have said: "Get busy speaking, or get busy dying."

Need help finding your message? Email me, and let's find the keynote speech you've been thinking about all these years - rich@richhopkins.com.

Now go - Speak....& Deliver!