“Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man and silence is necessary in order to surmount it.”
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About this quote
The impulse to stretch a story, soften an inconvenient fact, or fill a pause with embellishment runs deep, often without our noticing. Holding back, speaking less and pausing before we answer, gives that reflex less room to work and keeps us closer to what is actually true.
When to use it
- Pausing a full day before answering a message that provoked you, so anger doesn't shape the words.
- Resisting the urge to inflate a modest achievement while catching up with old friends.
- Staying quiet in a debate until you can state only what you're genuinely sure of.