“A wise man once said nothing.” What a great quote we should all make note of. Silence is a powerful statement, a smart tactic, and many times, a wise choice. Meaningless silence is always better than speaking meaningless words. Maybe we should give some serious thought to the fact that we have a mouth that we can close and ears that we can’t close.

One of the biggest mistakes we make is speaking when we are angry. There are a lot of people who have ruined their lives, be it on a personal or business basis, by saying something foolish, thoughtless, mean, malicious, despicable, inappropriate, cruel, condescending, hurtful, vicious, painful, and certainly uncalled-for…because they were angry. Follow the advice from the old saying, “A moment of silence in a moment of anger, saves you hundreds of moments of regret.”

If you have to speak during a difficult situation:

• Only speak what you know to be true
• Speak with integrity
• Never say anything about someone you wouldn’t say to them
• Avoid at all costs speaking when angry
• When in doubt, stay SILENT

Mark Twain made a wise statement about staying SILENT when dealing with idiots. He said, “Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” The best thing to say to idiots is NOTHING…stay SILENT.

There have been some brilliant quotes about remaining silent:

• “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubts.” President Abraham Lincoln
• “Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.” L. J. Peter
• “Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.” General Charles De Gualle
• “Silence is golden when you can’t think of a good answer.” Muhammad Ali
• “Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” Leonardo de Vinci
• “Never mistake silence for ignorance.” Anon.
• “Silence is the best way to answer a fool.” Anon.
• “The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless.” Anon.

Plato once said, “Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools speak because they have to say something.” The best thing to do when you are confused, angry, not sure, dealing with difficult people … or … if you want to frustrate, intimidate or irritate your opponent, is to stay SILENT. Have the maturity to know that sometimes SILENCE is more powerful than having the last word.

Remember, “A wise man once said nothing.”