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About this quote

What does it mean?
Someone who talks with more confidence than knowledge is unappealing.
In plain terms
People who know less than they say are not interesting.
What can you take from it?
Overconfidence damages credibility.

Where it applies

  • meetings
  • social gatherings
  • presentations

Putting it to work

  • match speech to knowledge
  • listen more

Questions to consider

  • When do you overestimate yourself?
  • Who overachieves verbally?

Another view

Some confident speakers are effective.

More from Fran Lebowitz

  1. Original thought is like original sin: both happened before you were born to people you could not have possibly met.

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  2. The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.

    Permalink to quote #19
  3. If your sexual fantasies were truly of interest to others, they would no longer be fantasies.

    Permalink to quote #16

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