A big vocabulary basket is like the only ‘tangible skill’ the writer has, and it never occurs to them that they should use simple words instead.
The writer should focus on clarity instead of impressing others with professional-sounding words that cloud any real understanding.

Vocabulary Is The Misfired Weapon

<ol><li>Do not use abstractions, and go for real, concrete nouns and everyday words.</li><li>Assume that the reader knows less than you do and explain as you would to a newbie.</li><li>Get someone to read your work and take feedback.</li><li>Write down a draft and wait a while to come back and review it, reading it aloud. You will start to clarify your own writing.</li></ol>

The Solution To Incomprehensible Writing

Sometimes writers invent confusing and bewildering terminology to explain plain and simple concepts. This is because their years of familiarity with such concepts makes them part of a bubble, in which they believe everyone would understand their vocabulary.Example: Doctors often use jargon as they diagnose problems and converse with other doctors. This special vocabulary seems alien(and sometimes impressive) to the patient who does not have a clue.

Functional Fixity

The Curse of Knowledge, suffered by many authors, is the inability to think like the less-informed layperson who is going to read the content.
<ul>
<li>Professional writing is filled with all kinds of ‘ese’, legalese, academese etc. which makes it unrelatable and unclear, confusing or boring the reader.</li>
<li>Writers are not aware that they need to simplify, clarify and be in the shoes of their readers.</li>
</ul>

Professional Writing: The Curse of Knowledge

Using examples or analogies is a powerful and necessary technique to make the common reader relate to abstract content. Analogies are also retained by the memory for a longer time than raw, professional content with big words.Messy writing is also due to chunking, a mental process in which the writer groups similar concepts together in the brain. While this is a great ability which proves how intelligent the writer is, the readers do not have the same chunks inside their brain.

Using Analogies And Chunking

Harvard's Steven Pinker on the curse of knowledge: "The curse of knowledge is the single best explanation I know of why good people write bad prose." 

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Personal Development

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Reading & Writing

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Problem Solving

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Communication

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Business

Steven Pinker on the Curse of Knowledge and Writing Better

When someone has crossed a line, you should open up the conversation alerting the other person to your feelings, concerns, or objections.
Some conversation starters:
<ul>
<li>"I thought you should know..."</li>
<li>"I wanted to bring something to your attention. I felt uncomfortable when.."</li>
<li>"I want you to be aware of my feelings about what happened..."</li>
</ul>

When a line has been crossed

<ul>
<li>If you want to share something with a friend or colleague who likes to offer their opinion, say: "I want to share what's going on and would appreciate it if you can listen without offering advice or criticism."</li>
<li>Another way to stop auto-advice: "At the moment, I'm not looking for feedback. I would love it if you could just listen with compassion."</li>
<li>In relationships: "I love that you are always willing to help me. But right now, I appreciate it if you list and have faith that I'll come to a solution by myself."</li>
</ul>

When someone is giving you unsolicited advice

You don't owe anyone personal information, especially not to satisfy their curiosity.
<ul>
<li>To someone asking how much money you earn: " Trust me, not even close to what I'm worth."</li>
<li>To someone who asks about your love life: "I'd rather not talk about this. When I have news to share, I'll let you know."</li>
<li>To a colleague who wants to know what you plan on your day off: "That's why call it a personal day!"</li>
</ul>
Repeat your stock answer if the person persists.

What to say to deflect nosy questions

When a friend, family member or colleague makes a rude comment and then says," I'm just honest," you may feel inclined to accept their words. Don't. If you know them to be genuine, you will know when to be open to their feedback.
Comments about how you wore the wrong dress or how bad your hair looks, say something like:
<ul>
<li>"I don't recall asking you."</li>
<li>"What you call 'honesty,' I call 'giving me unsolicited criticism.' Please don't."</li>
</ul>

When someone is judgmental or critical of you

Here are a few ways to buy yourself more time to assess the situation.
<ul>
<li>"I need a minute to regroup. Can we talk about this in an hour?"</li>
<li>"Can we chat about this later today, after I've had some time to consider it?"</li>
<li>To a friend who wants you to go to a dinner that sounds boring: "I'm going to say no to dinner, but I'd love to catch up another time."</li>
<li>To the colleague who wants you to help with an extra project: "I can't, unfortunately. But once I finish up my current deadline, I can see if there's a way I can support you."</li>
</ul>

When someone asks you something you're unsure about

Setting boundaries is not a one-time act; it's a process. Here are some tools and scripts that will help you create a foundation to build on, from psychotherapist Terri Cole.

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Career

5 scripts to help you deflect nosy questions, stop advice-givers, fend off criticism and more

While sending a LinkedIn message (or InMail), take note of these three factors to increase the likelihood of the message being read and responded to.
<ol>
<li>Send short messages, in the range of 200-400 characters, as people are busy and it is better to be concise.</li>
<li>The response rate is slightly better at the start of the weekday, so avoid sending on weekends.</li>
<li>Make the message personalized, as people like to feel special. Add a name or some details unique to the individual, avoiding generic messages.</li>
</ol>

Effective LinkedIn Messages

Analysis reveals how recruiters’ InMails perform, but the takeaways apply to anyone sending a message—on or off LinkedIn. 


Don’t send LinkedIn messages on this day of the week if you actually want a response

Public speaking is one of the main fears, including forgetting what to say during a presentation.
But, memorising your presentation can make you more likely to forget it. This is partly because you limit yourself to one 'right way to communicate your message. If you deviate from your point, your brain identifies it as an error and panic sets in. This cause a heightened awareness of how you sound and causes you to be less connected and engaging.

Fear of public speaking

Being comfortable will affect how you speak and how you remember your presentation.
<ul>
<li>When you practice, stand up, then speak, even if you plan to present sitting at a desk in front of a webcam.</li>
<li>Try recording yourself and then playing it back, listening to your own voice while standing and walking.</li>
</ul>

Stand and deliver

We feel compelled to memorise because public speaking makes us nervous, making us worse at remembering a memorised script. 
Research shows that being excited can improve performance and confidence.
<ul>
<li>Try to flip your inner anxiety dialogue to excitement, such as getting to share something of value with your audience.</li>
<li>Visualise yourself being excited about giving your presentation. A day or two before speaking, close your eyes and imagine your most engaged, excited self and how you confidently deliver your presentation.</li>
</ul>

Don't focus on being calm

The key to not forget what you want to say is to create a comprehensive outline that consists of the major points.
Three types of outlines are helpful:**
<ul>
<li>The traditional outline: You create and indented, hierarchical listing of your points and jot down key phrases.</li>
<li>The question-based outline: List questions that spark specific answers in the order you intend to cover your content.</li>
<li>The Illustrated based outline: You graphically map out your ideas using icons, pictures, and words.</li>
</ul>

Public speaking: draw a map of your speak

Close your eyes and envision your presentation unfolding in a familiar space such as your home or hiking path.
As you walk through your presentation, imagine putting different key ideas in certain locations in your imaginary route—for example, a catchy introduction at your front door and surprising results in your study. Practising your presentation in this way can help you more easily recall your points.

Create visual aids

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Health

The trick to public speaking is to stop memorizing

Keep these things in mind:
<ul>
<li>People remember stories, not facts. Try to make your points through a story, rather than rattling off the facts.</li>
<li>Don't try to speak like everyone else. Your unique style is really an advantage. Speak the same way you would to a friend. Carry yourself the way you usually would, and don't try to censor yourself, like not allowing yourself to smile or laugh.</li>
<li>Being nervous can actually help you. It gives you adrenaline, focus, and the ability to perform at your highest level.</li>
</ul>

Every person can be a good public speaker

Even if it's you're first time, you can keep audiences engaged and feel more comfortable while presenting.

Steven Pinker on the Curse of Knowledge and Writing Better

5 scripts to help you deflect nosy questions, stop advice-givers, fend off criticism and more

Don’t send LinkedIn messages on this day of the week if you actually want a response

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

The trick to public speaking is to stop memorizing

CURATED BY

Steven Pinker on the Curse of Knowledge and Writing Better

5 scripts to help you deflect nosy questions, stop advice-givers, fend off criticism and more

Don’t send LinkedIn messages on this day of the week if you actually want a response

It's time to Read like a Pro.

The trick to public speaking is to stop memorizing

CURATED BY

It's time to
Read like a Pro.