December 18, 2025
Ever had this great idea in your head, but when you said it out loud, well, it just came out as this mess. I’ve been there so many times, but it’s a problem, right?
Because people don’t judge your intelligence by what you know. They judge it by how clearly you explain it.
So, in this video, I’ll show you the five habits to speak 10 times clearer. Let’s start with the first habit.
Average communicators, they speak in ideas. Great communicators, they speak in images.
In one of my workshops, a woman began her presentation and she said something like:
“Um, well, our strategy focuses on improving cross-functional collaboration and enhancing operational efficiency.”
I stopped her.
“Whoa, you sound very smart, but I have no idea what you just said.”
So, I asked, “If I were 10 years old, how would you explain that?”
She thought for a moment and then she said:
“Right now, it’s like we’re running a busy restaurant, but where the chefs aren’t talking. Marketing is already serving the dish while engineering is still chopping onions. We just need everyone cooking from the same recipe.”
Boom. Everyone in the room nodded. Now it made sense.
When you give people an image, they get it instantly.
And you can do the same by starting this powerful habit: use analogies to explain complex concepts. An analogy is where you compare something new to something that is familiar.
Take this sentence:
We need to improve the customer experience.
Well, that sounds pretty vague, right? It doesn’t sound too visual.
But now, let’s make it visual:
It’s like we have built this beautiful hotel, but in that hotel, the guests actually have to carry up their own luggage up the stairs.
Boom. Suddenly, people see it. They remember it. They feel it. That’s what it means to talk to their eyes.
Now, how can you start using more analogies?
I have trained myself to come up with analogies on the spot by doing an exercise I call analogy blitz.
For that, you can pick any ordinary activity like brushing your teeth, folding laundry, or making coffee. Then set a timer for 60 seconds and come up with as many analogies as you can.
Let’s go with brushing your teeth as an example:
Brushing your teeth is like managing a team. If you miss just one, well, everyone else is affected.
Or brushing your teeth is like clearing your inbox. Boring but satisfying.
Or brushing your teeth is like editing your first draft. It makes everything shine.
At first, your mind might go blank, and that’s okay, but keep going. The more you practice, the faster your brain learns how to paint pictures while you talk.
Imagine you ask your GPS for directions, but instead of giving you just this one clear route, it starts listing out 10 different roads all at once.
And you’re like:
“What the [ __ ] I just want the best route. Don’t give me all of them.”
But that is exactly what happens when most people talk. They give every option, every detail, every idea, and they somehow hope that something lands.
Sure, it feels thorough to them, but to the listener, it feels like chaos.
Here’s the truth:
Overexplaining is underdoing.
Your job isn’t to say everything. It’s to decide what matters the most and say that.
Which brings me to the next habit: distill your core message. Teach your brain to filter out all the fluff and share what really matters.
But how can you actually train that?
I’ve learned that using an exercise I call the clarity compressor.
Here’s how it works:
Pick any story, any idea, or any update that you share a little bit more regularly. Then you tell it three different times.
First, you tell it in two minutes.
Then you tell it in one minute.
And then in 15 seconds.
Each round forces you to tighten your message. Once you’ve done that, you start hearing what’s the fluff and what’s actually the heart of the story that really matters.
It’s like zooming into a photo. Each round removes the blur until the image then pops into real focus.
Because the best communicators, they aren’t the ones who say the most. They’re the ones who decide what not to say.
Let me show you two examples. See if you can spot the difference.
First example:
“Yeah. So, yeah, I think the main thing we need to do is X, Y, and Z.”
Second example:
“The main thing we need to do is focus on one goal.”
Now, it’s a tiny change, but it makes a huge difference to how clear you sound.
Most people start talking before their brain is ready. They get a question, they feel the pressure to respond right away, and boom, words come out like this big mess.
But there’s one simple habit that fixes that.
Pause before you speak.
Before you open your mouth, take one short breath in and then a longer breath out.
That longer exhale tells your body, “Ah, you’re safe.”
And when your body feels safe, your brain works better. And suddenly your thoughts click into place.
Ten years ago, I’d walk into any meeting thinking:
I hope they like me.
I hope I sound smart.
Oh, I hope I don’t mess this up.
And guess how I showed up? Nervous, tight, voice shaking.
The moment I spoke, I didn’t sound clear because my mind was busy trying to impress.
Today, I walk into those same kind of meetings completely different. Right before, I tell myself:
I’m here to give.
I’m here to have fun.
I’m here to give.
I’m here to have fun.
That’s it. Two simple lines.
And the moment I do that, everything changes.
I stop performing and I start connecting. I stop thinking about me and I start focusing on them.
And guess how I show up? Relaxed, present, and even excited.
And people can feel that.
Which brings me to the next habit: set an intention before any conversation.
I’m here to have fun
Or maybe it’s I’m here to help
Or I’m here to connect
Whatever feels true for you.
Then just repeat that intention a few times in your head.
Setting that intention is like tuning an instrument before you play. Sure, the song might be the same, but how it sounds depends so much on how you tune yourself first.
A couple of months ago, I went to Tony Robbins events.
And just to be clear, I wasn’t a fanboy before. I was a little bit skeptical.
But there I was, full immersion for days.
Tony Robbins has helped millions of people, including world presidents like Bill Clinton, world-class athletes, and some of the biggest CEOs in this world.
Now, if I had to sum up four full days with Tony in one sentence, it would be this:
Emotion follows motion.
Here’s what that means.
Most people try to sound confident and clear, but their body is still stuck in nervous mode.
They’re slouched. Shoulders are down. Head is tilted forward. Barely breathing.
And then they wonder:
“Oh, why do I not sound confident?”
Because your body and your voice, they’re connected.
If your posture says, “I’m small,” your voice will sound small as well.
If your body says, “Oh, I’m unsure,” well, your words will come out unclear.
Which brings me to the next habit: get into peak state before any important conversation.
Put your favorite song on. Take a few deep breaths. Lift your chest. Roll your shoulders back.
Then either shake, jump, dance, maybe sing along. Get yourself moving.
Do that for one to two minutes and see how incredible you feel after.
Your energy rises. Your voice opens. Your words start to flow.
Because clarity isn’t just mental, it’s physical.
When your body says, “I’m alive,” your words finally sound that way.
Today, we focused on clarity.
But the best communicators, they don’t just speak clearly. They tell stories that stick.
So, if you want to learn how to tell unforgettable stories, check out this next article where I walk you through some of my favorite storytelling techniques. See you there.
Enjoy.
P.S. Want to become a stronger communicator?
Here are two ways I can support you:
👉 Want to tell more engaging stories? Join our next Storytelling Workshop.
👉 Want to speak with confidence and clarity? Check out our Communication Skills Training.
Both are fun, practical, and designed to help you grow fast.
Are you ready to transform your storytelling skills?
Discover how your storytelling skills score and uncover useful insights to help you become a charismatic storyteller:
