Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

January 2, 2007

One Sentence, One Word, One Entirely Different Meeting

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:28 am

The Words I’m Giving Up Are . . .

I’m giving up a popular sentence and it’s variations.

I don’t like this.

I’m brushing off a sentence an old boss used to say. It was quite effective on keeping us focused on the big picture.

power writing at work

From now on, I’m going back to using this one instead

I don’t think I love this.

It calls up a curious, listener’s response.

After all, if we don’t love it, why do it?
AND if we all sincerely can say we love it, there must be something to it.

I change one sentence. I add the word love.

Suddenly the meeting is a mission — words are powerful.

–ME “Liz” Strauss





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15 Comments to “One Sentence, One Word, One Entirely Different Meeting”

  1. January 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 am
    Mike said

    Hi Liz,

    Not to quibble but you added two words, and the second one is vitally important. Your new sentence is “I don’t THINK I love this”, which signals to the other party that your mind isn’t made up.

    Cheers, and Happy New Year!

    Mike

  2. January 2nd, 2007 at 10:00 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike,
    You’re right! That’s what I love about having you around. You catch those fine line nuances that make a big difference. I expect that word does have quite an impact over not saying it.

    Thanks for pointing that out. :)

  3. January 2nd, 2007 at 12:22 pm
    Kian Ann said

    Words are really really powerful, especially in writing, and in conversations. In fact, I remember one of the modules about NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) is “reframing” and its really just about putting the situation is different words.

  4. January 2nd, 2007 at 12:46 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Kian Ann!
    That’s such great point about how words reframe our thoughts for us. We usually think it just goes the other way. Thanks for reminding us. :)

  5. January 2nd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
    Whitney said

    I like “I don’t think I love this.” Pretty sure I’ll adopt it…it describes what’s usually in my head when I say “I don’t like this.”

    Another phrase to throw out…change:

    “I don’t think I can do this”

    to

    “Why can’t I do this?”
    or
    “Why couldn’t I do this?”

  6. January 2nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
    ME Strauss said

    HI Whitney!
    What a great addition to the list!

    I hope others follow your lead and add more! :)

  7. January 2nd, 2007 at 1:21 pm
    GP said

    It all lives in languaging.. I’ve found if I catch myself verbalizing a certain way… is that empowering or disempowering

    One of my all time favs” Feel the Fear and do it anyway ” - thanks to Susan Jeffers.. since for me fear has always had a negative connotation. Not so in many cases

    Happy New Year
    GP in Montana who’ll remember that when she gets on her thoroughbred here in a little while :)

  8. January 2nd, 2007 at 2:39 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP!
    Happy New Year!
    Language is how we form our thoughts. The concept is one that folks who don’t write often don’t give enough credence to. One word changes the image of how people see things.

  9. January 2nd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
    Jodee Bock said

    How about getting rid of “can’t” and “don’t” and “won’t” altogether and shifting from “I don’t think I love this” to finding something in there that you DO love and then focusing on that? I’ve found this simple shift makes a profound difference in the way I see and experience just about everything. And it’s not even necessary to say it … just by thinking it it seems to make the difference.

    And, shifting from statements to questions for just a second: I still think the most difficult questions for most of us to answer are from The Radical Leap’s answering machine message:

    “Who are you and what do you want?”

  10. January 2nd, 2007 at 4:26 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Jodee!
    Welcome back. Great to see you!
    You made me think of that word “try,”

    There is no “try.” There is “do.” Yeah!

  11. January 2nd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
    GP said

    Whitney… that opens the door to “possibility ” and hmmm… what can one create… a great way to start a new year…

    ME - There’s that word “try”… ugh… thanx for pointing it out proving yet a gain… you’ll either have the results… or the reasons why not
    Great food for thought.. - hmmm must be the innkeeper in me again :)

    GP in Montana

  12. January 2nd, 2007 at 7:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP
    I agree “try” offers an immediate reason why something doesn’t have to work. “I’ll try.” That’ just isn’t the same as “I will.”

  13. January 2nd, 2007 at 11:22 pm
    mayvelous » Currently… » Me, Myself and Mayvelous said

    [...] I’m changing Liz’s “this” word. I don’t like this. [...]

  14. January 3rd, 2007 at 5:27 am
    Karin said

    Morning all (11.24 am here and cloudy)
    I know I love the way Jodee Bock has brought thoughts on positivisme = positive state of mind = happy thoughts and positive actions.

  15. January 3rd, 2007 at 7:26 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    This morning is a glorious sunrise all oranges that faded to pinks!

    Jodee brought some of her “always present” positive thinking to a fine challenge. It’s one of the ways, she changes the world for the better.

    You recognizing that is one of the ways that you do. :)

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