Rule #4: Always Say Less than Necessary

 Law 4

Always Say Less than Necessary

"When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control.  Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.  Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.  The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish."

Hope everyones having a great weekend, thanks for your comments on my earlier post, will get back to responding to every soon after i'm done writing this.  I'll keep this post a little bit shorter than the other ones (hence following the rule myself?) But as usual, i'll keep it interesting and informative.

I'm still trying to figure out a name for my new domain, but I did find somewhere to host and should be up and running fairly soon.  Thanks for the continued support of my blogs, please share with your friends or whoever else might be interested, I always appreciate more readers and feedback on my writing!

A L W A Y S     S A Y     L E S S    T H A N    N E C E S S A R Y

Many of us have run into trouble in our lives because we have said too much, revealed something unintentionally that we have come later to regret.  Every word that escapes your mouth is recorded deep in the etches of your mind, and also to those around you who hear the words you speak.  It creates a lasting impression over time, even if the words don't seem like they mean much, or are insignificant.  Whenever you make a sarcastic remark, or talk endlessly about your plans and goals, you run the threat of hurting your own power base.  Always say less than necessary:

"Power is in many ways a game of appearances, and when you say less than necessary, you inevitably appear greater and more powerful thank you are.  Your silence will make other people uncomfortable.  Humans are machines of interpretation and explanation; they have to know what you are thinking.  When you carefully control what you reveal, they cannot pierce your intentions of meaning."

Personally, I have felt the effect of this law's significance many times in my life, and this is why I am writing about these laws in the first place, to help remind me of its existence and on its possible applications.  There is a reversal to this law, and if you are too shut in, never talk to anyone, and are secretive to an extreme, you will also lose in your quest for power, remember to never believe any advice unless you truly believe it and feel that it may provide answers at the "truth."

Robert Greene tells an interesting story of a man who cheated death at the gallows after the rope snapped, saving his life.  When the Czar of Russia, Nicholas I heard the news, he was amazed, and believed that this was a sign from God himself that the man was innocent and deserved to be pardoned.  Right before he signed the pardon that would have saved the man's life, he asked if the prisoner had said anything after the miraculous turn of events.

"Sire," The messenger replied, "he said in Russia they don't even know how to make rope."

You can wager a guess at what happened next.  The Czar promptly ripped the pardon and declared, "In that case, let's prove the contrary."

This is the fate of the man who does not know when to speak, and when to keep his mouth shut.  Every outburst we make, and careless remark, could come back to haunt us in the future.  That is why wise men and women know that the less they say, the more they can observe, listen, and reserve their words for when the time is more proper, instead of throwing them around carelessly.

Like I said earlier, i'm going to keep this post shorter, and then after maybe it would be a good idea to reflect upon some times in your life where you overstepped your bounds, maybe said something that you wish you didn't, and next time, you'll be wiser for it, and not hurt yourself or the ones you love.