The Power of Words

If you live in the US, and haven't had your head in the sand for the past week - you know it's convention season. This week was the Democrats, next week will be the Republicans. It's all about party unity and energizing the political base, preparing for the next 9 weeks of brutal slog leading up to the election.

Regardless of your political leanings (and I got soundly thrashed last time for even mentioning politics on my blog), you need to appreciate the power of words.

You see, most of what I've done in my career has been about words. Whether it's words I'm writing or words I'm speaking, it's really always been about the words. I also read A LOT, and that's all about the words. I've come to realize that I love words.

Words can (and do) inspire. If you lean Democrat, you were very likely inspired by the speeches of this week's convention. You got to see great speakers talk about their vision of the future.

Republicans will be likewise fired up when they see their candidates, who are also great speakers, get on the stage and talk about the better days to come. Words allow you to think about something else. Something better.

Maybe it's the words you read in a fiction book, which take you to a different place and allow you to be a different person. Maybe it's the words in your own diary or journal. Those are words you can't run away from because they represent the true you.

Maybe it's the words you hear. When you listen to a truly gifted orator, who has great passion for what they are saying, you are taken to a different place. You think about things in different terms. You expand your mind and believe you can do anything. And in fact you can.

Maybe it's your religious leader. Maybe it's a Tony Robbins-like motivation speaker or a Tom Peter's-type of business sage. Whoever it is, the next time you hear them speak. Go with it. See where you end up. Words are cheap. It won't cost you anything to indulge your imagination for a few minutes or hours.

We also have to keep in mind that words cut the other way. Words can be damaging and incite chaos, dissension and hate. Many of the wars and conflicts throughout history have been started with words. Not enough people really think about what they say before they say it or write it. Once words are out there, you can't take them back - no matter how hard you try.

Of course, words are not actions - but words lead to actions. For better or worse.

When my daughter asks me what my favorite book is, I have historically said, Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo." That story of faith, redemption and finding the emptiness of revenge is timeless to me. But now I see I was thinking too small.

In fact, now I see my favorite book is the dictionary. Whatever life has in store for me, I'm pretty sure my answer will be in the dictionary. I just have to figure out how to string the words together.

Have a great holiday weekend if you are in the US. See you on Tuesday.

Photo credit: "Dictionaries" originally uploaded by jovike