CONTEXT

There’s nothing more attractive than someone who truly knows their worth.

You know how people say “sorry” all the time… for things that don’t need an apology? (I’m looking at you, Canadians 🫶)

Our words create our reality. The more we unnecessarily apologize, the less confidence we show (to ourselves and to others).

And if we say “sorry” every time we simply speak up on a work call or bump into a table, it actually dilutes the power of the word when we DO owe an apology.

Here’s what to say instead:

THE METHOD

1. Sorry for rescheduling → Thanks for being flexible!

2. Sorry to bother you → Thanks for carving out time.

3. Sorry for venting → Thanks for listening.

4. Sorry for running late (by 1-2 minutes) → Thanks so much for waiting.

5. Sorry I had to take that call → Thanks for your patience!

6. Sorry for jumping in → I have an idea that may help.

7. Sorry for the mistake → Thanks for catching that!

8. Sorry, I don’t get it → Could you repeat that? I just want to be clear.

9. Sorry, does that make sense? → I’m happy to answer any questions!

I’ve found it handy to keep a “cheat sheet” of these near my desk. Want your own copy? You can download a PDF here.

WHY IT WORKS

Starting a conversation with gratitude sets a completely different tone, right?

Ok, so you can see why these reframes are extremely powerful. But how do you build the habit?

The first step is to build awareness.

Ask a friend or coworker to interrupt you whenever you apologize unnecessarily, with: “Why did you say sorry?” 😏

That’s your cue to rephrase it with a “thank you for…”

And before you know it, you’ll be speaking with quiet confidence.

Try it out. Let me know how it goes.

Until next week,

Jade

P.S. There are only 4 days left to join Archimedes until next year!

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P.P.S. If you’re new to The Quiet Rich, hello! Learn the 8 things that the quietly rich don’t do in this LinkedIn post. 💰 🎉