How to Not Get Defensive
22 Sept 2024 · 1 min
0:38
In this short instructional monologue, the speaker explains how to avoid becoming defensive during arguments. The core message is that another person's words are not your responsibility, and you should not feel compelled to immediately counterattack. Instead, the speaker recommends inserting a deliberate pause of eight to ten seconds after the other person speaks. This silence prevents the conversation from turning into a back‑and‑forth “scoreboard” exchange and forces the speaker to reflect on their own words, potentially reconsidering what they said. By allowing the pause to linger, the listener regains control of the interaction and can respond more calmly. The speaker concludes with a call to try this technique.
