Here is the issue, society is as bi-polar as it’s ever been. You can’t speak your mind, but you can’t stay silent. You can voice your opinion, but it has to match the opinions of the rest of us. You can have a perspective, but it has to match my perspective. You need to scream as loud as me, but do not scream louder, because then you’re just stirring the pot.
How the heck can you cope and what do you do? Most would say just stay quiet, don't get involved, keep to yourself and everything will be ok. Is that the right solution though?
Here’s the real question, what is true power? Is power being able to do what you want or is it being able to say what you want? Speaking has power, words have influence, and communication can shift an entire country. How do I know? Look at the presidential race. What do people point out when it comes to a political race? Is it what they do, what they have accomplished or is it what they say? You can answer that for yourself, but the answer is pretty clear.
You see, currently most people are in a tough situation, because they have thoughts that they want to share, they have opinions that they want to express, and they have perspectives that they think are important. Most people won’t share any of that, because they end up getting shut down. Now, I am not promoting openly arguing with people on social media, because that hasn’t ever gotten many people that far in life, BUT what is important is communication.
So, back to my topic, “Why even say it?” Why even speak your thoughts or perspective? Here’s the answer. BECAUSE IT MATTERS! You matter, your thoughts matter, your voice matters.
Words have power. Words can shift an environment, they can change the landscape of a conversation, of a debate, or a business. What you say matters. What people want more than ever is control, but there are only two ways to control a person; Direct action into submission or by the power of your words.
You have thoughts, now understand that you want to make sure that your thoughts have purpose. You can’t read an article published by a biased source and then comment out into the world, because it stirred your emotions. So what is the best way to “say it”?
Know Your Stance
You have to be clear on where you stand before you voice your opinion on where others stand. Why is this important? Most people know what offends them, but they don’t know why they are offended. Most people are clear on what they are against, but not necessarily on what they are for. You have to know yourself before you can comment on where others are. Your opinion is relevant when it stands for something, not just when it’s expressed because of something that provoked you. You matter because who you are and what you stand for, so your voice matters for the same reason. You need to know where you stand and that is the first step to being influential.
Know What You Are Trying To Say
There is nothing more frustrating than someone that screams, but says nothing! Your words have influence, but if they never arrive at a point, at a peak of power, then you lose the whole point of communication. Speaking was never meant to just be an empty action. Speaking should always have a point and purpose. When you are “expressing your thoughts”, express with a purpose and point. You can only have power in your words IF they are meant to accomplish something. What are you trying to say and why are you saying it? If you know what your purpose is when you speak they will catch an audience.
Be Strong Enough to Take Opposition
Here’s the deal, you cannot express an opinion, a thought or a perspective without someone opposing your view. You have to be able to handle it. You have to be strong enough in your perspective that when someone opposes you it doesn’t change your thoughts or make you upset. That is why the previous steps are so important. The biggest thing to understand is that an opposing viewpoint is important and valuable. If your thoughts are uncontested how will you know that they hold weight? When you fight for something it is only worth fighting for, if there is a fight, otherwise how will you know if what you believe is relevant? Learn how to take the arguments, the comments and the aggression. The one who stands strong in the wake of opposition shows true power.
Maybe I need a conclusion here, maybe I don’t. Bottom line is that your voice matters, but there is a good way and a bad way to express that voice. Think about what was said and work on those three points. You may not get 100k followers on Instagram, but you may become a voice that is relevant.