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Acast .com Hey, everyone, welcome back to podcast and chill.
I'm Gwen. And this is Gwen's favorite co -host of all time, Leo.
So Gwen, have you ever walked out of a job interview and three hours later think of the perfect answer?
Because I have. Oh, my God, yes.
That reminds me of this time.
I was giving a presentation and someone asked me a question.
And you nailed it with some brilliant answers as usual, right?
I wish. Dude, I literally just stood there for like 45 seconds straight, before I could even come up with something halfway decent to say.
That must have been super awkward. You have no idea.
Those 45 seconds felt like forever.
You could literally hear the AC running in the background.
I mean, quick thinking is huge for communication, But I feel like it's impossible to think fast and sound smart at the same time, you know?
Totally agree on the first part.
But why do you think you can't do both?
Well, think about it.
If you want to sound smart, you need time to think.
Which means you're not being fast. And if you talk fast without really thinking it through, you're probably gonna say something stupid.
You can't have it both ways.
Actually, lucky for you, science says we totally can do both.
For real? For real.
There was this study back in 2008 about intelligence and thinking speed, and it showed there's usually a connection between being smarter and thinking faster.
So we can safely say intelligence and speed aren't mutually exclusive.
You're telling me I could be like Einstein, but with the speed of the flash?
Yep. As long as you remember thinking fast and speaking smart is actually something you can learn and get better at.
And that's what we're talking about today.
How to think fast and speak smart at the same time.
Which is probably just what lots of English learners are looking for.
I'm so ready for this.
Tell me everything right now.
Slow down there. First, we gotta talk about why thinking fast and speaking smart is so important in the first place.
Oh, that's easy. To sound smart.
I love it when people think I'm smart.
But you can sound smart even when you're not responding super quickly.
Ugh. Okay. I have no idea then.
Well, in today's world, everything moves fast. In meetings, negotiations, or even a quick chat with your manager, you don't always have time to prepare the perfect answer.
Ah, yeah. It's not like we can say, hang on, let me Google my response and get back to you in 10 minutes.
Right? People expect clear, confident answers on the spot, especially if they're busy people like CEOs and other high -level executives.
So it's really about looking sharp when you're under pressure.
Right. Being able to process what's going on, come up with your response, and deliver it smoothly shows you're confident and you know what you're doing.
Especially in those high -stakes situations, right?
Like job interviews or when you're meeting with clients?
Yeah. That's what leadership and expertise look like.
But what if you talk fast and just end up saying complete nonsense?
And that's the tricky part.
When I say I want to think fast, I don't mean just blurting out whatever comes to mind.
It's not about rushing through things.
So what's it about?
It's about making your brain work more efficiently so you can respond both quickly and effectively.
Like a protein bar?
Quick, but still good.
Ah, yeah, exactly. Fast thinking is about mental agility, and smart speaking is about purposeful communication.
I love that. Agile mind, intentional words.
So the whole goal here is to be able to organize your thoughts quickly, so you don't just ramble on and on, but you still actually make your point.
That makes total sense, especially in group discussions or debates, where everyone's throwing ideas around.
You don't want to miss your chance to jump in.
Right. If you're too slow, someone else might jump in and you miss your shot.
But if you're too quick, you might say something that comes out all wrong.
So it's really about finding that sweet spot, fast brain, smart mouth.
mouth. That's one way to put it.
And the good news is that balance is totally something you can work on and get better at.
But we're going to talk about how to actually do that after we figure out why it's so hard for some people to think fast and speak smart in the first place.
All right. So what's stopping us from being these fast thinking, smart speaking legends?
There are actually several common barriers that trip people up.
Like what? Spill the tea.
Well, the biggest one is being scared of saying something wrong.
People are absolutely terrified of sounding stupid.
Oh man, I mean relatable.
I'd rather say nothing than risk looking like an idiot.
Right, so instead of just responding, we end up overthinking everything to death.
Guilty as charged. And that leads to the second problem, which is information overload.
Overload. Oh, like when someone asks a simple question and suddenly you're thinking about 17 different answers.
Yep. It's overwhelming that our brain goes into overdrive mode.
And then you freeze up completely.
Which brings us to perfectionism.
Oh God, as a recovering perfectionist, I totally know what you mean.
You do? Of course. If you're lucky enough not to completely crash.
After coming up with 17 different answers, perfectionism makes you sit there trying to figure out which one is the absolute best response.
I know, right? People just wait for the perfect response.
Well, in my defense, perfection takes time.
Way too much time. By the time you figure out the perfect thing to say, everyone's already moved on to something else.
To be honest, I'd rather have them move on then...
Then what? Then have someone just standing They're waiting for me to answer while I'm drowning in like a million different responses and have absolutely no idea Which one to pick that's absolutely terrifying.
Oh Speaking of that the anxiety from the pressure of performing in front of others Is another reason people can't speak fast and think smart.
Oh, yes Especially in group settings where everyone's watching your heart starts pounding your palms get all sweaty sweaty.
That feels like living a nightmare.
Now, for people learning English as a second language, there are even more challenges.
Like what? Translation delay, for one.
You mean when our brain has to switch between languages?
Yes. It happens all the time with people speaking a foreign language, especially when they're just starting out.
That sounds It totally is!
You hear something in English, translate it to your native language, think of a response, then translate it back.
That's a ton of mental work.
Yeah, like forcing your brain to hit the gym right after it's just finished a full marathon. Plus, having a limited vocabulary, which is totally normal for beginners, can make you second -guess yourself all the time.
Tell me about it. Ordering a coffee in French gives me more anxiety than any math test ever did.
And then you get totally stuck in your head, searching for the perfect word, which means even more time wasted.
Why do our brains love working against us so much?
They're not working against us, but they're definitely making things way harder than they need to be.
Great, so we're basically our own worst enemies.
In a way, yeah. But the good news is, once you know what's getting in your way, you can totally work around it.
Thank goodness. I was starting to think I was doomed to be awkward forever.
Definitely not. And that's where our five methods come in.
I'm all ears. What's the first one?
First, stay calm. I know it sounds simple, but it's everything.
Easier said than done, though, right?
True. But think about it, Leo.
When you're stressed, your brain literally can't think clearly.
So what do we do? Deep breathing?
Yes. Take a deep breath and relax your shoulders.
Give your brain the oxygen it needs.
Okay. Just in case I can't stop myself from crying inside, what else can I do?
Well, you can try smart delays then.
Delays? That sounds kind of inefficient.
Not even close, it's strategic.
You buy yourself thinking time while still engaging.
How? Compliment the question first. Say, That's a great question, or What an interesting point.
Oh, I see, you're being polite while your brain catches up.
Exactly. You can also ask for clarification.
Like, Just to make sure I understand what you're asking.
That's brilliant. We're being thorough and giving ourselves extra time to think.
It's a win -win. Or you can just straight up say, let me think about that for a second.
Does that make me look stupid, though?
Not at all. People actually respect that kind of honesty.
That's such a relief.
I think I can do this trick.
Having said that, no matter how much time we buy ourselves, we can't have the perfect answer for absolutely everything.
You're right. So what do we do then?
You should try to anticipate what people might ask.
This is where preparation meets opportunity.
I don't really get what you mean.
Before meetings or presentations, think about what questions you might get.
Like having answers ready to go?
Yes. You're not trying to be psychic.
You're just being prepared.
I wish I could read tarot cards and just know all the answers, but I guess this works too.
No, having the answers is great.
But you also need to be able to deliver them in a smart way.
What's smart delivery?
Using big fancy words?
It's actually the opposite.
Smart delivery is getting people to understand you no matter what you're talking about.
So we got to keep our answers simple?
Yes. It's about explaining complex stuff in simple language without dumbing it down.
Give me an example.
Instead of saying, we need to optimize our operational efficiency, you could say, we need to work smarter, not harder.
Oh, that's way clearer.
And way more effective.
Because at the end of the day, the goal is to be clear, not sound complicated.
Smart people can explain things simply.
Like you told me in that earlier episode, right?
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
Yeah, I quoted Einstein.
Okay, are you ready for the last tip for thinking smart and speaking fast?
Spill it. It's active processing.
Can you be more specific?
So, the idea is instead of waiting for someone to finish talking all the way, you stay tuned in and start thinking of your response as you go.
Like multitasking? Kind of.
You're listening and thinking at the same time.
But what if you miss something important?
That's why you listen for key points and themes, not every single word. Ah, like listening for the big picture message.
Yep, though I bet it's going to take lots of practice.
And focus as well. But it's totally doable, right?
Not as impossible as you thought.
You're right. I guess as long as we keep practicing, everybody can master this whole thinking fast and speaking smart thing.
And here's the beautiful thing.
You can start practicing these methods today.
Gwen's right, guys.
Every conversation is a chance to get better.
Don't wait for the perfect moment.
And remember, everyone feels awkward sometimes.
The difference is what you do about it.
You're already smarter than you think.
You just need to trust yourself.
And with these five methods, you've got the tools to show the world what you're capable of.
So what do you say?
Ready to think fast and speak smart?
All right, Gwen, I think it's time to go over some key vocabulary from our talk today.
First, come up with.
It means to think of or create an idea, plan, or solution.
For example, we need to come up with a new marketing strategy by Friday.
day. Second, high stakes.
This describes a situation where the outcome is very important or risky.
For example, the company has made some high stakes investments.
Third, blurred out.
It means to say something suddenly without thinking, often by accident.
For example, he blurted out the the answer before the teacher even finish the question.
Fourth, trip someone up.
It means to confuse or cause someone to make a mistake, especially during a test or challenge.
For example, that tricky question tripped me up during the exam.
Finally, dumb something down.
It means to make something simpler or easier to understand, often by removing important details.
For example, the instructions were too technical, so I had to dumb them down for the new hires.
Now it's time for a quick quiz.
I'm ready. First question, what would probably happen if you don't think fast enough during a group discussion or debate?
Well, someone else would probably jump in, and you'd miss your shot.
Spot on! Next question, what's an extra challenge in thinking fast and speaking smart for beginner language learners?
It's the translation delay.
They often have to translate what they hear into their native language, think of a response, then translate it back into the target language.
Which is a lot of mental work, right?
Good job, Leo. All right, beautiful people.
Let's do a quick recap before we wrap this thing up.
For sure. First, we talked about why thinking fast and speaking smart actually matters in real life.
It's not just about looking cool, guys.
It's about leadership, negotiations, and all that good stuff.
And then we figured out what's holding us back.
Fear, information overload, anxiety, perfectionism.
And finally, we shared five solid strategies to help sharpen those thinking and speaking muscles.
Stay calm, use smart delay phrases, predict what might come up, simplify your message, and process things actively.
The big takeaway? These are skills you can actually train.
You're not going to master this overnight.
But good things take time, right?
As long as you stick with it, you'll totally get there.
So, here's our challenge for you.
Pick and try one tip today.
Maybe practice a stalling phrase.
Or try explaining something in simpler terms. What tip are you going to try out today?
Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks for hanging out with us today.
We'll catch you in the next episode.
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