Language

Language 

Welcome back to the newsletter that gets your brain thinking about deep concepts wayyy too early in the morning. 

This week we are focusing on the word language specifically how speaking the same language within your tribe can exponentially improve the effectiveness and gravity of your conversations. Let’s dive in. 

Speaking the Same Language

Have you ever been in a three-way conversation and the topic starts to drift into something a topic that you do not have a single clue about? All of sudden the other two people in the conversation start throwing out acronyms and slang terms you couldn’t even come up with if you tried. As you observe the other people talking (in the conversation you used to be a part of) they are so fully engaged in this discussion that they are practically interrupting each other. I know we have all been there. 

This is the type of Language, not English, is what I am talking about. It is insider language that has to be learned. When it is learned and communicated within your tribe it opens up conversations like never before. When someone can put in the work to speak the same language as you it opens up closed doors and breaks down barriers that so naturally come up. 

We see this all the time in life. Maybe you have been on the other side of the story we just read. You meet a person at a party, start talking, and find out you both love the same football team. Start talking about the dumb trade they made or the contract extension and boom. You are best friends because you are able to speak the same language. 

While speaking the same Language about surface-level ideas like sports is great but we want to press into a deeper idea here. What if we could start speaking the same language about the concepts and ideas that affect the way we live? 

A few years back when everything was shut down and no one knew what was happening in the world, my friends and I started sitting outside around a fire once a week. As we met we decided to start going through a personality test called Enneagram. (since my audience is still very small I know everyone reading this knows what Enneagram is…) 

Little did we know that by every one of us learning the language of Enneagram, we would be able to start connecting on a much deeper level. By using the Enneagram language that we are familiar with we could communicate deeper concepts in a more effective way. It has become a beautiful thing and since then we have tried to find ways to expand our language as a group in order to continue to reach new depths and uncover the wisdom buried in this life. 

One of the most effective ways to start speaking the same language as your tribe is to start consuming and communicating the same content. It is not an easy thing to do. My tribe and I read very different books and consume very different content but I desire to have effective conversations about meaningful topics therefore I will put in the work to learn the language that is impacting them. More times than not I ended up being dramatically impacted in the process. 

One of the most loving things people can do is try to speak the other person’s language. If we are going to aim to be set apart we will need to expand our language to do so. 

Practicals

The Problem: What language can you speak? What can you talk for hours about? Who can engage that topic with you? 

The Motivation: Do you want to have deeper relationships within your Tribe? If so why is that important to you? 

The Game Plan: Instead of asking people to learn to speak your language, first ask to speak someone else language. We do this by asking our Tribe what content has been impacting them. Or What book/podcast have you engaged with that changed your perspective? THEN talk about it and watch your conversation and relationship go deeper.

Language is a topic we will continuously come back to as it plays a key part in differentiating yourself from other people but for now, go out a learn a loved one’s language. It is worth it.

Go out. Make a Difference.