When you don’t know what to say, stay quiet!

Notes to my soon better self – Part 1

When you’re tempted to say something insulting, pause and think thrice. Ask yourself: is it really worth hurting or losing the person on the receiving end?

If you must criticise, do it with a touch of humour. Everything goes down easier with a little bit of levity. But don’t ridicule—aim to entertain, to educate, to uplift. Be pedagogical, not petty.

And if you’re going to pick a verbal fight, make sure you come armed with strong arguments—ones you know inside out, upside down, and could easily argue for the other side as well as for yours.

Most importantly, only fight when the subject of your argument and the principle you’re defending are truly worth it.

Never fight for ego-maniacal or purely self-serving reasons. Full stop!

About the author

Martin Tutko is a product designer by trade and a part-time philosopher by hobby. Thinking, researching and doing design since 1998. And as of 2023 also sharing and writing about some of my experiences as a product designer 🧑🏻‍💻🌟