The Conversation

I have this odd habit of evaluating myself as I speak.

While I carry on a dialogue with you, I am meta-analyzing what I say, thinking of what I could've said or should've said. I can do this in great detail, playing out multi-layered decision trees to plot out where things are, or could be, headed based on the next words that come out of my mouth. Of course, I also think of how to interpret what I just said and what I'm going to say. Basically, my mind's going sixty even when my mouth's only doing twenty.

After years of practice, I'm able to carry on this internal critical discourse without interrupting my external speaking. However, even I have limits -- all that thinking limits my ability to pay attention to you and what you're saying to me.

So, next time we're talking, please shut up and let me think.

Thanks.