Talk is cheap. Cheaper than action.
Major Thinkfast leads the charge, screaming into battle. A hero’s death ... for many.
Guns are best approached from behind. Everyone knows that, including the enemy. So stop and think. How to approach blazing guns without turning yourself into chopped steak?
Major Thinkfast is certain it can’t be done. Charge!
Whoa! Hold on there a minute, Major. Think!
Think of a way to approach the guns safely. Better still, think of a way not to approach the guns at all. Care to talk?
“Okay,” says Major Thinkfast, as if talking to a bratty two year old, “we’ll talk. The enemy is about to attack — and we’ll just flap our gums!”
And there you have it. Talk and do nothing, or rush to action. (Better still, have an Army rush to action for you.)
Talk without action is like skipping your turn at chess. What should happen, doesn’t, and what shouldn’t happen, does.
And action without talk is like chess on a motorbike. There’s plenty of movement, but not a great game.
Talk is a costless way to test actions before investing in them in full — like keeping your finger on a chess piece before committing to a move. More importantly, talking is a way to shape your actions for best effect. To accomplish something that actually matters.