It’s ‘just’ a word right?
Wrong! It’s a little word that carries a whole lotta punch. It’s a word that so many people use regularly in their vocabulary. And hey, I used to be one of those very same people! Guilty. It wasn’t until I started writing a Blog years ago while I was travelling, that I realized how often I used it and the implications it carried with it. As I would type, ‘I’m just here to share…’, ‘I just think…’ or ‘I just had…’ to describe some of the most amazing and unforgettable experiences of my life, I realized ‘just’ was not an insignificant word stringing words and thoughts together. This little word was implying that what I was saying didn’t really matter, or I didn’t think it would matter to my reader. It diminished the meaning before I even began. Which inadvertently gave permission to my audience to check out. The thing was, that couldn’t be further from what I was trying to convey. It was the complete opposite in fact! These were some of the best experiences of my life I was sharing! So why the ‘just’? I’m no psychologist, so I don’t have a definite answer, but I imagine it’s tied to self-confidence and feeling worthy of your audiences time and attention.
Once you are aware of the weight of the word and how it comes across to your audience, how it squashes any meaning, you can’t just keep using it so irresponsibly and willy-nilly. Ya, I say ‘willy-nilly’. No shame.
This is especially true in business, which is why I’m writing about it here. The amount of business owners I have met over the years that just sew, or just bake, or just do this for a hobby is mind boggling. It comes across as weak, or that what you’re about to say isn’t worth the breath being used say it. It makes it seem like you’re embarrassed of your business. Or worse, ashamed. How is someone supposed to believe in you and your business if you don’t sound like you do either? Don’t let them check out before you even get to deliver the wow.
Be confident, be proud, drop the ‘just’! And I bet you will see people’s responses change too.