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Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

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Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

#11

Post by yboris »

I have found (academic) analytic philosophy to be a great way to slow down and think clearly. So I propose exposing yourself to well-thought-out arguments to see the kinds of "moves" people make.

A good place to start may be with the book by Daniel Dennett: Intuition Pumps And Other Tools for Thinking https://www.amazon.com/Intuition-Pumps-Other-Tools-Thinking-...

Similarly, it's great to read good science books with careful arguments. One of the best I think is Culture of Honor: The Psychology of Violence in the South https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Honor-Psychology-Violence-Dir... -- the authors use a variety of independent experiments to make their conclusions.

In general, it's probably worth learning a bunch of psychology too - to understand others better (along with the variety of cognitive biases people have). A classic book in this direction is Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational https://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational-Revised-Expand...

Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

#12

Post by shakezula »

ketanmaheshwari wrote: post #4

Can't underestimate the power of practice. Perhaps find low stake venues where messing up does not have much consequences and present your thoughts. Maybe attend townhalls, local seminars, university talks and present your thoughts on the topic. See what worked and what did not. Improve iteratively.

A friend of mine highly recommends toastmasters for this exact type of practice. I’ve never done but i can absolutely see the value.

Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

#14

Post by burlesona »

I’ve thought a lot about this and discussed with a lot of people. One thing I’ve learned is that people have widely varying different internal experiences forming thoughts and speaking them. What works for one person may or may not work at all for another.

For example, consider the adage to “think before you speak.” Some people have told me this is exactly what happens, they internally say something to themselves, edit if needed, then say it out loud. Other people don’t do this at all or say they can’t do it, that they don’t know what they’re going to say until they hear it come out.

The way I think about learning difficult skills, try to find people who do the skill well and try to copy them. If possible ask them about how they do it and see if you gain any insight. But know that most people do most things by instinct, so you have to find someone who is a lot like you and went on a similar journey to learn the skill the hard way, otherwise it’s unlikely they’ll be able to teach you how to do it.

Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

#15

Post by csours »

Make it clear why you are speaking. Are you speaking to inform or motivate? Think about what would actually motivate your audience.

Don't attempt to get things right in the first draft. Make notes and revise them. Have conversations with individuals before groups.

Use note cards or an outline when you speak, if appropriate. Make the note cards and outline anyway.

Practice practice practice.

Re: Ask HN: Exercises to think, then speak, more clearly?

#17

Post by llaolleh »

Try taking a public speaking class at a nearby university.

I'm going to go on a limb here and guess that you are thinking too fast. In everyday life, try to slow down your speech and get in the habit of listening to yourself. It will help you be more deliberate with words and get into the habit of course correcting.

People have a tendency to talk lot faster than they think. Great speakers know how to control this just like how cars speed up or slow down depending on terrain.

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