On the Subject of Precision

I like precision in words.

There’s a difference between warm, moderate, mild, or middling. To some degree, all of these words convey something in between the two extremes of hot and cold. They can roughly mean the same thing at a macro level but yet evoke different imagery when used in various contexts.

Example: Think of a warm bath. Now think of it being warm outside.

You might find one version of warm cozy and the other a little uncomfortable.

Precision in words allows you to communicate visually. It manifests an idea in color versus shades of gray. You move from a fuzzy outline of a concept to a more defined form.

A friend once challenged me to be more precise with my words when asked the question, “How are you doing?”

Taking the extra moment of consideration each time to be precise with my words turned out to be quite revealing.

My responses went from, “I’m good,” or “Just fine,” to “I’m feeling frustrated at not being able to focus during the workday,” or “I’m feeling steady and prepared for the next meeting.”

Think of how you are specifically feeling during that moment of reflection. Be precise.

You will learn something about yourself and it leads to better conversations to boot.