Stop Throwing Words At The Wall: Say Less, Make It Stick More

If you throw enough stuff at the wall, some of it has to stick. Right?

Theoretically, yes. But is it the 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬?

We often use this phrase to describe brainstorming new ideas—but it applies just as much to the way we communicate.

I’ll be honest: I like to be thorough when I share what I know. If it’s a topic I’m passionate about, I want you to catch all the details too. But here’s the reality: people rarely remember everything we say. What sticks might not be what we 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 them to walk away with.

So instead of throwing every possible detail out there and hoping the right ones stick, focus on no more than three main points you want your audience to carry with them. Research on memory retention shows most people can only hold three to seven things at a time, so erring on the side of three makes your message easier to absorb. Once you’ve identified those anchors, the real work begins: making them stick.

Here’s how:

𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲. Put your key points up front. If your audience remembers nothing else, they’ll at least know what matters most.

𝟮. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. Short sentences. Plain words. Active language. A run-on sentence cramming five ideas in before the period is still five ideas—not one.

𝟯. 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. You can expand with stories, details, and data—but keep pivoting back to your three sticky points. Repetition reinforces memory and signals importance.

Whether you’re rolling out a new policy to your team, prepping for a media interview, or drafting talking points for leadership, the goal is the same: clarity beats volume.

Because if you don’t decide what you want to stick, your audience will decide for you. And chances are, it won’t be what you intended.

Let’s talk: what strategies help 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 messages stick?