Is it Ever OK to Ramble?

Crash Courses in Communication with Alex Perry

Today we are tackling the question…is it ever OK to ramble?

OK, now I can't get the Rambling Man out of my head. Thanks, Allman Brothers. I mean, it's a different kind of rambling. But still. Have you ever talked and realized that you're going on and on without making a point? And then said something like, "Oh, sorry, I'm rambling?" You're not alone (ask my hubs; he's heard me do this so many times). It's pretty common for folks to ask me how to stop rambling. Getting to your point quickly is important in business, and I'm a fan. However, "rambling" is such a common occurrence that it got me thinking... "Is it ever OK to ramble?" I can now heartily respond...YES! Yes, it's OK to 'ramble.' That's because, chances are, you're not really rambling. Ramble doesn't mean what you think it means. Let's look at some definitions. Ramble, in general terms, means "to talk in a confused way, often for a long time." Are you confused when you're talking? Probably not, or at least I hope not. Taking too long? That's super subjective; context matters. Medically speaking, rambling means "Fragmented non-goal directed speech, most often caused by acute brain disease." Do you have acute brain disease? Probably not. Here's the deal: what you're calling rambling probably isn't rambling; it's external processing (aka talking through your ideas out loud). Some people talk through their ideas, and some people think through ideas before sharing them out loud (internal processing) Is it wrong to externally process? No. Is internal processing better than external? Also no. They're different. And that's OK. Chances are, when you've caught yourself 'rambling,' you're not rambling (confused or brain-injured). You're working through your thoughts out loud. There's no need to apologize for that. If you're worried that you've gone on too long, take a break and ask the person/people who are listening if they're still with you and/or if they'd like to add something. So keep on talking, free from the fear of rambling. There are so many people that need to hear what you have to say.

Until next time know that I’m rooting for you from the #frontrow.

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