September 15, 2025
In this blog, you’ll discover three and a half simple but powerful exercises to think faster and speak smarter than 93% of people.
They take less than 10 minutes a day, but if you stick to them for just 14 days, you’ll sound sharper, more confident, and more articulate than ever before.
When you’re asked about something you know and care about, words flow easily. But real life isn’t always predictable. When someone asks about something you have no clue about, your brain often freezes — you fumble, ramble, and lose track.
This exercise trains you to think clearly under pressure.
How it works:
Pick a random debate topic (remote work vs. office work, pineapple on pizza, AI in schools).
Set a timer that beeps every 20 seconds.
Argue passionately for one side until the beep.
Then switch and argue just as passionately for the opposite side.
Repeat for a few rounds.
Example:
For remote work: “Remote work is the future. I save two hours commuting every day, which I now spend on things that actually matter.”
Against remote work: “But being in the office builds trust. I once solved a project issue just by running into a teammate in the kitchen — that never happens on Slack.”
You’re training your brain to explore ideas quickly and speak with confidence.
One of the greatest communication superpowers is turning complex ideas into vivid images. The fastest way is through metaphors or analogies and the magic happens when you can come up with them on the spot.
How it works:
Pick an ordinary activity (brushing your teeth, making coffee, folding laundry).
Set a 60-second timer.
Come up with as many comparisons as possible.
Examples:
“Brushing your teeth is like editing a first draft — it takes time, but it makes everything shine.”
“Brushing your teeth is like clearing your inbox — boring but satisfying.”
“Brushing your teeth is like hitting reset every morning.”
At first, your metaphors may feel weak, but creativity is a muscle. Stick with it.
When you’re asked to shorten your story, it’s tempting to cram everything in — and it ends up sounding rushed. Instead, train yourself to adapt.
How it works:
Pick a real moment from your day (a conversation, a task, anything).
Tell the story in 2 minutes.
Then tell it again in 1 minute.
Finally, tell it in 30 seconds.
This helps you find the core of your story, adapt to different contexts, and speak with clarity and control.
This one is more playful — and you don’t have to do it every day.
How it works:
Mute a TV show or movie.
Pick a character.
Improvise their dialogue as if you were that character.
At first, it feels chaotic. But soon, it becomes fun, creative, and a hilarious way to practice improvisation. It sharpens your ability to think and react fast while staying composed.
You’ve now learned 3.5 powerful exercises. Practice them consistently for just 14 days and you’ll radically upgrade the way you think and speak.
Speaking off the cuff is powerful, but clarity matters just as much. The best communicators respond quickly and clearly — and these exercises train both.
If you want to take your storytelling to the next level, check out this check out this article where I share three simple frameworks to better articulate your thoughts.
Storytelling has helped me more than anything else boost my retention, go viral, and grow my business in the end.
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:
