3 Steps on How to Stop Mumbling and Speak More Clearly
It’s time to learn how to stop mumbling and speak clearly.
Mumbling is a speech quirk.
And this quirk snowballs over time.
This is when someone becomes lazy with words.
And has trouble enunciating.
Over time, a mumbler will ruin social opportunities and dilute their message.
No thanks!
Let’s fix this issue fast and effectively.
The speaking muscle is a muscle that can be exercised and strengthened.
Same with articulation skills.
In this post, you are going to learn the psychology behind mumbling, a concept known as the intent light switch & 3 steps on how to stop mumbling.
No matter which stage of your life you are in, a clear speech will never hurt you.
It will only help you.
Why Do People Mumble? The Psychology
There are different causes for mumbling.
Sometimes, it’s because the person had a long day and just wants to chill.
They don’t want to enunciate every single word this late in the day.
That’s situational mumbling.
This one is harmless for the most part.
What is more harmful are the other 2 kinds of mumbling which are caused by:
- Low self-esteem.
- Fear of making mistakes.
The reason these 2 causes of mumbling are more harmful is because both influence one another.
When you have low self-esteem, you are afraid of making mistakes.
And when you are afraid of making mistakes, it reinforces low self-esteem.
What is the end product?
The end product is the voice of someone who is unsure.
Someone who wants to talk, but not really.
So they use words.
But the words are used in a lackadaisical fashion.
This brings me to the concept known as the intention light switch.
Speaking Clearly with Intention
With a light switch, can it be on AND off?
‘No.’
Can it be on OR off?
‘Yes. That’s how a light switch normally works.’
And that’s how your speaking should work as well.
The reason for mumbling is due to getting stuck in the middle ground territory.
One moment, you want to speak. ON.
The next moment, you don’t want to speak. OFF.
Still, the mouth starts firing off words.
And that’s when there is resistance.
Another way to picture this is by imagining a driver who is pressing the accelerator and the brake at the same time.
Do not do that! Your car will jump.
The purpose of the intention light switch is to simplify your speaking process.
When you want to speak, speak.
When you don’t want to speak, don’t speak.
What you want to avoid is speaking when you don’t want to speak, and not speaking when you do want to speak.
That’s when the light switch is all out of whack.
3 Steps on How to Stop Mumbling
There are different frameworks to stop mumbling.
I am going to give you a simple 3 step formula that you can begin today.
All you need is a book or any reading material.
If you don’t have any reading material, that’s fine as well.
1. Massage your Face
Currently, there is a lot of stiffness in your face.
Most likely, your forehead is tense.
Lips are tight.
And jaw is stiff.
The voice does not simply come out of the mouth.
Your voice engages the entire face and body.
Spend some time massaging your face in light circular motions.
No jabbing or poking.
Light and gently.
Gradually feel the tension and iron those tensions out.
And then gradually apply more pressure.
Do this for a few minutes.
The goal is to relax your face.
So if your face is feeling loose and tension-free, then you’re on the right track.
You can also make a wide yawn. Like you’re in the most boring class in the world.
Or you can make a wide smile. Like you’re the creepiest guy in the club.
2. Read Out Loud
Back in the days, books were not for everyone.
Books were reserved for royal people. Not the peasants.
And the royal people read those books out loud.
Reading with the mind is a rather new phenomenon.
Let’s go back old school.
Aim to read out loud.
The goal is to breathe life into the words.
Take it one word at a time.
Give each word the full respect it deserves.
If you don’t have a book near you, try to read this blog out loud.
Or a tweet.
Anything with words can be leveraged.
3. Aim to Finish one Sentence at a Time
Confidence is not determined by how many tasks you begin.
Confidence is determined by how many tasks you finish.
1 completed task beats 50 incomplete tasks.
And similarly, it’s not about how many sentences you begin.
It’s about how many sentences you finish.
Currently, mumbling is causing you to not COMMIT to a sentence.
And when you don’t commit, you hop around.
From one sentence to the next.
With little to show for it.
Prime the mind to take it one sentence at a time.
And this will gradually allow the mind to align with the voice.
‘And what do I talk about Armani?’
Talk about any topic that interests you.
No need to make it more complicated than that.
Sample Routine on How to Stop Mumbling
So there you have it.
- Stretch the face.
- Read out loud.
- One sentence at a time.
Let me give you a sample guide to put it all together.
So you have a system you can fall back on.
Get a timer if available.
- Spend 1-2 minutes stretching the face uninterrupted.
- Once the face is loose, spend 1-2 minutes reading something out loud. Full focus.
- And finally, assign yourself a topic and speak about it 1 sentence at a time for 1-2 minutes.
You just need to dedicate 3-6 minutes a day to take your voice to the gym!
Over time, the mumbling neural pathways will begin to weaken.
And strong, clear communication skills will take their spot.
Don’t overdo it.
And most importantly, don’t think you’ll overcome mumbling overnight.
It’s a process.
Take it inch by inch.
And soon, you’ll look back and see that now mumbling is a thing of the past.
Stop Mumbling and Speak Clearly
Friends don’t let friends mumble.
If one of your friends is mumbling, let them know.
Then refer them to this blog.
With communication skills, your voice is a weapon.
And your ideas serve as the arms guiding the weapon.
Would you go to war with a rusty sword and shield?
‘Hell no!’
Then you shouldn’t have a rusty voice either.
That’s a weak voice with 0 intention.
Keep it simple stupid.
-When you want to speak, speak.
-When you don’t want to speak, don’t speak.
And when you do talk, make the words crystal clear.
Clear like a pond that reflects your face perfectly.
Almost looks like a mirror.
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– ArmaniTalks 
