20. Don’t Use Broad Definitive Statements

As Obi-wan Kenobi once said, only a sith deals in absolutes.

If you don’t know the movies, you should know that a sith is a bad guy, and Obi-wan Kenobi is a very good, very wise man. Absolute, definitive statements and language is very dangerous, so use it with caution. Moreover, when you hear it, be extra thoughtful.

Here are some words and phrases that make my spidey senses tingle:

• Never

• Always

• Has to be

• Cannot be

• Forever

The reason these words are so dangerous is because by using them your world gets smaller. They’re fixed mindset words. By using definitive language, you eliminate the possibility that the future will be any different from the present.

I’m going to give you just one example of why I think this is so important.