Here are 11 phrases to avoid to sound more confident

"Fake it until you make it", literally, "fake it until you make it". Among the many personal development tips, this sentence remains at the top. For what ? Because to say that some of our accomplishments are based on good self-esteem is not a cliché.

Conversely, certain behaviors that may betray a lack of self-confidence can prevent you from achieving your goals. How to present a project, defend an idea, if your audience has the impression that you yourself do not believe in yourself? Here are the words to banish from your speech to sound more confident, according to Kathy and Ross Petras, authors of Awkword Moments, You're Saying It Wrong and That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means.

1) Does this make sense?

After one of your speeches, prefer questions like "What do you think?" or "I would like your opinion on this". If you ask "does this make sense?" after you finish sharing a thought, you immediately give the impression that you are not convinced yourself, that your idea may be incomplete. Rather than seeking validation or approval, you should ask the listener or reader for their opinion of your idea.

2) “Maybe we should try...”

It's unconvincing when you apply it to your own ideas or suggestions. Either you believe what you're talking about or you don't. What to say instead? "Let's try…" or "It's a good idea to try…".

3) “I think...”

This is a minor distinction, but not to be overlooked: "I think" seems weaker than "I believe and is a bit more dubious, like you're saying something might work, but you're not sure. “I believe” puts you in charge of thought and conveys calm assurance. And even if you're not so sure, no one needs to know!

4) “I'm not sure, but...”

Remove this sentence before you say what you want to say. You don't need to add disclaimers. Likewise, if you start your sentence with "I know this question might be stupid, but..." or "I don't mean to sound pushy, but...", you're self-sabotaging. It's a simple rule worth mentioning. be repeated: don't belittle yourself. Never.

5) “I just wanted to”

How many times have you started an email with "I just wanted to ask you if…"? The problem in this case is that the "just" almost sounds like an excuse, as if you were saying, "I hate to bother you, but...". Don't apologize for existing. There is a time and a place for that, but business communication usually isn't.

6) "Needless to say..."

In that case, don't say anything. "Needless to say" announces a long series of tongue-in-cheek phrases where you bring up a topic by saying you're not going to say something, but say it anyway. So why do it?

7) In my opinion...

Go straight to the point and remove unnecessary and weak introductions. Anyone who listens to you or reads what you've written knows it's your opinion.

8) “For what it's worth...”

This is another lead-in that makes it sound like you're not convinced of what you're saying. And if you're not convinced by what you stand for, why should anyone else be?

9) “Sorry”

Instead, prefer "excuse me" or "please excuse me". It's fine to apologize if you've done something wrong and you have to admit it, but too many people throw in "sorry" and end up hurting their image. Why say "sorry to bother you" when a simple "excuse me" is shorter and snappier?

Another similar phrase to avoid: “I hate to ask, but…”. You just have to ask !

10) "[X] was developed to augment [X]"

Say instead: "I developed [X] to increase [X]". Thus, you use the active voice instead of the passive voice. If you're creating a new marketing campaign to increase brand awareness, why not use active voice and take credit for it from the get-go?

11) "If you know what I mean..."

Stop saying that kind of thing right now. It's a filler phrase that means nothing - and actually irritates a lot of people. In the same logic, avoid starting your speech with sentences like "it is important to note that...". You're just adding unnecessary words (if you know what I mean).