By Rusty Potter
There was a popular commercial back in the day that featured the financial firm E.F. Hutton. In the commercial, the room would be filled with noise, people talking, laughing, and going about their business. But the moment someone would say, “My broker is E.F. Hutton, and E.F. Hutton says…”, the entire room would suddenly become silent. Everyone would lean in to hear what was said next. The tagline was simple but powerful: “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.”
I often think about that commercial and how it relates to life. It made me wonder, when I speak, do people listen? More importantly, do I have something worth saying?
The truth is that we all have a voice, but not everyone has something valuable to say. We live in a time where gossip and negativity flood our conversations. People talk just to be talking. Social media is filled with opinions, drama, and distractions that add no real value to our lives. But what if you decided to be different? What if you decided that when you speak, people would lean in, not because you demand their attention but because you carry something worth hearing?
To speak words that have value, you must first fill your mind with value. You can’t pour into others if your cup is empty. What are you feeding your mind daily? Are you reading books that challenge your thinking? Are you surrounding yourself with people who inspire you to grow? Are you taking time to pray and seek wisdom in your life? Because the truth is – what goes in, will eventually come out.
If you spend your days consuming negativity and gossip, guess what will come out of your mouth. But if you invest your time in filling your mind with positive words, inspirational content, and thought-provoking knowledge, you’ll always have something of value to share.
Imagine being the type of person that, when you spoke, people learned in. Imagine your words bringing comfort to the hurting, clarity to the confused, and motivation to the discouraged. That can only happen when you make a conscious decision to feed your mind with value.
I encourage you today to start pouring something positive into your life. Read books that inspire you. Spend time around people who uplift you. Listen to podcasts or messages that fuel your faith and drive. Before you know it, you’ll notice a change in the way you think, speak, and carry yourself.
And when you do speak, people will listen. Not because of your voice, but because of the value behind it.
So, I’ll leave you with this challenge: Have something worth saying. Because in a noisy world, the people who offer real value are the ones who will always be heard.
And when you speak, the world just might lean in and listen.
