I’ve had it! Stop! I declare war on the word “like.” Don’t mess with me! NO MORE FILLER WORD USAGE. And, I don’t mean social media likes. I mean language likes. For some reason millennials, Gen X, Gen Y, and other demographic segments can’t get one sentence out without using the word, “like.” It’s a filler word that has no meaning. It’s a fad that makes you look bad. And, I know companies vet potential job offers based on your like-usage frequency during interviews. Your personal brand is shaped by your ability to communicate and articulate your thoughts. If the word, “like” becomes common place in every other sentence you utter, it dilutes your personal brand, intelligence, and the overall perception of your ability to communicate effectively.
Someone once said that filler words are the heroin of language. Words such as “really, basically, right, you-know, seriously, um, cool,” and so on. Not cool, wrong, I don’t like this is better. Whenever I said, “ya know” growing up, my mom always said, “Stop saying ‘ya know.’ We don’t know until you tell us!” She was right. So right.
If you need like rehab, click on the picture below from Wikihow for tips on how to fix this linguistic lunacy. I used their picture and I want Wikihow to get all the credit:
Be articulate. What you say and how you say it directly impacts your personal brand. Your language messaging sends a message to all those around you. Think, speak, communicate. Don’t be a filler speaker. Don’t be a likeoholic.
One final tip to eliminate this filler fad and bring some awareness to the like addicts of the world. Every time you hear someone use the word “like,” beep. That’s right. Make a beep noise like the Road Runner in the famous cartoon. I did this to one of my son’s friends during a car ride. At the end of the twenty minute ride, he said, “Wow, I never realized how much I said that word.”
Beep…
By Stuart Atkins
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