Must think before You Speak

I choose to choose few words each day. Yes! few words that count. Few words that can make impact. Few words that talk much. Few words that can make people ponder to wonder. Few words that are indelible. Few words that can leave distinctive footprints on minds. Though we may fail to mind our words, we shall never fail to mind the works of our words.”

–Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

It’s always a treat to listen to the people who speak logic and at the same time it’s also a treat to listen to illogical people as they make you laugh, smile and weep. I still remember that during research workshop of my M Phil course work, I as a class senior was called upon on stage to share the lessons we learnt. I was like thinking… thinking…. and thinking said that I used to utter so many things in past without knowing about the consequences and bearing the claim of their authenticity, but now I ask myself before speaking that “Afaq…. will you be able to support this claim with existing evidence??” and most of the time answer comes as “NO” and I prefer to remain quiet and explore the existing knowledge. This also gives me urge to read more and more so that I may be able to interpret the truth in discourse being imposed on us in today’s era.

Few days back I was reading an Urdu Blog written by one of my colleague and supervisor Dr. Afshan Huma clarifying our journey from “Jahiliat” to “Jaarhiat” (Uncivilized era to the era of Aggression). It was rightly said that education and qualifications are not the criteria of a person to make him civilized. It’s the inner thought process. The theme of the article written by her was different but the narrative was same that ignorance is making us aggressive day by day. There is a requirement to restrain us from the narrative being imposed on us.

The point which I want to highlight is the speaking before thinking and passing on the information which is non-credible. This not only tarnish your image but can lead to breaking of relationships, friendships and corporate credibility. Our words contribute a lot in shaping our personality and any miscommunication leads to declaring us non creditable, careless and unreliable person which not only harm us in professional life but in social life as well.

Present scenario of the country demands talking with sense. We must understand that we don’t have to let emotions ride on our communications. Choice of words matter a lot in conveying what we want to convey. We have a choice that our words leave a person contended or hurt….. Every conversation going on in a gathering or every news showing up on media may not be true. We need to weigh what is being fed to us before passing that via synchronous or asynchronous mode of communication. There are circumstances where the information is true as well but we need to ask ourselves whether the same will be beneficial to pass in present point of time. Some information has to be delayed or withheld for some obvious reasons.

Believe me, since I have increased smiling than speaking; it has increased my thought process in interpreting right or wrong. The time I gain before speaking and any reaction makes me more critical on what I have to speak…. I have learned it a hard way. Although, it’s easy to excuse after uttering something harmful or non-credible, but remember that the harm has already been done which may take ages to mend or restore your image in your circle.

At the end, I will revert back to same lesson which I learnt in research workshop of my M Phil course that before you say something, put across questions to yourself…… Is it necessary to speak and pass on this information?…… Can I support my claim with credible knowledge base to prove it right?…… Will the information I am passing on is going to harm the standing of my organization or the country?…….. Now if you get positive replies in your thought process, only then share else prefer to remain salient or just give a “SMILE”?like I do on many questions asked from me because I want to learn and explore more on the subject.