Strange title, right? Here's what this short blurb is about: being focused in communication.
Communication is hard, anyone who is married is likely to know this simple fact. It is difficult to communicate with a husband or wife, our minds work in significantly different ways. There are many books written about communication and how to get your point across. I've read one, maybe two, and they were helpful. But there is something I have learned that I didn't read in a book.
Being a skilled communicator includes being able to stay on topic.
I have many conversations about philosophical, religious, sociopolitical, etc. subjects which makes many of the subjects potentially complex, vague, or abstract. These types of conversations have a tendency to drift. Of course, conversation has a natural course that will lead from one place to the next, but that natural course seems to be accelerated by poor communication practices. When trying to convey an idea, it is important to focus on that idea closely rather than veering off into other, seemingly similar, discussions. Some of our minds work well correlating many different ideas to work together into a larger picture and that is a fun discussion to have but only if the other person you are communicating with is on board with the rabbit trail you want to run down. If you are trying to communicate a complex subject, work at staying on topic and only talk about things that are immediately related to the subject at hand. The person you are communicating with will have a better chance of understanding your point of view if you keep your point narrow and focused.
~Joshua