How To Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

How To Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

By Jonathan Roseland

One thing that great communicators rarely, if ever, say...

There's one thing you can say during a conversation or while public speaking that can almost destroy people's impressions of you. It's something that you actually hear people say all the time too, you've even probably said it before...

"I'm an intelligent person"

Every time I hear this, especially as a defensive statement or from someone I just met, I know I am dealing with someone who likes to stroke their own ego. Intelligence (as it's popularly thought of) is a very subjective quality so this is something that should always be proved as opposed to claimed.

Consider that there are nine different forms of intelligence...

  1. Naturalist Intelligence ("Nature Smart")
  2. Musical Intelligence ("Musical Smart")
  3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence ("Number/Reasoning Smart")
  4. Existential Intelligence ("Philosophical Smarts")
  5. Interpersonal Intelligence ("People Smart")
  6. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence ("Body Smart")
  7. Linguistic Intelligence ("Word Smart")
  8. Intra-personal Intelligence ("Self Smart")
  9. Spatial Intelligence ("Picture Smart")

Types of intelligence

Everyone on this planet is intelligent in at least one of these nine forms, so claiming intelligence is a useless generalization - like saying: "I breathe oxygen and eat food." By making this statement you are revealing yourself as lacking in Interpersonal Intelligence ("People Smart"), Linguistic Intelligence ("Word Smart"), and Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart").

I think of my Bulgarian wife, she has brilliant linguistic intelligence but she can't do math to save her life. She amazes me often with her mastery of her second language (English); she has a rich vocabulary and she knows English grammar better than I do (and I'm a public communicator and professional writer!)

Any time you find yourself tempted to say "I'm an intelligent person," instead...

  • Think of what form of intelligence you are strong in - describe your strengths.
  • Find a way to prove and show your intelligence in this area.

The Exception: The rare case in which you do want to blatantly state that you are intelligent is when it has already been proved or when other people are saying it first. Even then realize that it's a very egotistical statement.

Want more social dynamics communication hacks? Check out the chapter Social Dynamics Secrets of Elite Socialitesfrom my lifehacking manifesto - here's the audio chapter...

Finally...

Join the Limitless Mindset Substack to...

Get frequent free edifying content about Biohacking, Lifehacking, and my holistic pragmatic antifragility philosophy. This informative (and often entertaining!) Substack is about how to take advantage of the latest anti-aging and Biohacking science and where I dispense timely mindset nuggets, lifehacking tips, and my own musings.

Watch this recent video...

Affiliate Links?

As you may have noticed this website contains affiliate links to products, supplements, and software programs. The small commissions we receive from sales of these products allow us to commit the time necessary to thoroughly researching which products are credible and will give you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to upgrading your mind.

We have a strict philosophy of only endorsing or recommending products that we've found really work to help you upgrade your mind.

Thank you, sincerely, for your support!

Review or Affiliate Inquiries

We're eager to hear about new biohacking products, technologies, and quality supplements. I do review, write, and vlog about products that I think are worth the consideration of the 15,000 - 20,000 savvy health consumers that visit my site monthly and my 2000 newsletter subscribers.

I have some standards and specific things that I look for in the products I'd like to use myself and might recommend here on LimitlessMindset.com. Please submit this form with a little more information about your offering.

Content Copyright 2011 - 2024 LimitlessMindset.com. All Rights Reserved.

  • All trademarks, logos, and service marks displayed are registered and/or unregistered Trademarks of their respective owners.
  • Reproduction in whole or in any form without express written permission is prohibited.
  • This is not medical advice.
  • The content on this website is for entertainment purposes.
  • These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
  • These products are not intended to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose any disease.

Website by Roseland Digital