"DoorDash promotional graphic showing a delivery rider on a red scooter carrying a package and driving across a smartphone screen, with a location pin icon and the DoorDash logo on a red background."

The Power of Words

As someone who works with words on a daily basis, I can tell you that finding new ways to say things can be a real challenge. If I used the same phrases every day, I’d get pretty boring pretty fast.

I occasionally catch myself falling into that trap. Recently, I noticed I was using the phrase “it’s kind of magical” to introduce just about everything. Once is fine. Twice is probably acceptable. Five days in a row? Houston, we have a problem. Even if it does get the point across.

A thesaurus used to be a writer’s best friend. Do they even make those anymore? These days, most of us simply ask Google for alternative ways to phrase something and hope inspiration strikes before our readers notice we’re repeating ourselves.

You may be thinking, “That’s all well and good, but I’m not a writer.” Maybe you don’t write articles, give speeches, or create content for the public. Maybe you’re just an average Joe trying to get through the workday.

The truth is that every one of us uses words to shape how we’re perceived.

Think about a résumé or a job interview. The way we describe our experience can make a big difference. Competition is tough, and sometimes all you have going for you is a willingness to work hard. No fancy title or corner office. No impressive management position.

Or so you think.

One enterprising job applicant found a much more creative way to describe his work.

Check this out:

The Interview

Did you catch it?

Personally, I had to laugh.

The driver introduced himself as an Executive Food Concierge with a Multi-International Hors d’oeuvre Delivery Service.

In plain English, he’s a DoorDash driver.

Having worked as a DoorDash driver myself, I have to admit I wish I’d thought of that title. It certainly sounds more impressive than “guy trying to find apartment 3B in the dark while someone’s burrito gets cold.”

Honestly, I’d give the guy an interview just for originality. Anyone who can transform “I deliver takeout” into a title that sounds like it belongs on a corporate office door clearly understands the power of words. He found a way to highlight what he does while making people smile.

And that’s a skill in itself.

No, I wouldn’t recommend stretching the truth on a résumé, but there is something to be said for presenting yourself confidently and creatively. Sometimes the difference between sounding ordinary and sounding impressive is simply choosing better words.

What do you think? Is this clever marketing of personal skills, or would you roll your eyes if this résumé landed on your desk?

One of my blogging friends recently wrote a post about her annual goals. She goes Birthday to Birthday instead of New Year to New Year. That’s a good idea too that I never even considered. But anyway… this year she chose a word to be her inspiration and guide for the year. She chose a great word…Balance. I’m sure she will enjoy success with a great word like balance. http://learnmoreeveryday.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/another-year-older-a-balancing-act/

If you can find a balance in life or a balance in all things or however you want to think about it, then surely you will have a roadmap for a nice year.

Not wanting to be a total copycat I wondered what would be a word for me if I were to use the same idea. My birthday is right around the corner and although Balance is something I could certainly use I felt another word might be even more appropriate for me. That word is MODERATION.

I go overboard on almost everything I do. Oh my choices and decisions start out good enough. I plot and I plan and then I implement and that’s when everything gets out of hand. I once described my life as feeling like I was on a run away train going 90 miles an hour and all I could do was HANG ON!

I always have more on my plate than I know what to do with.

A perfect example..my blog. I don’t have just one. I have this one which is my main baby, then I have www.dustyroadsphotos.com a companion photoblog, then I have my professional photo web page dustyroadsphotos.zenfolio.com, and my photo card shop, dustyroadsphotos.etsy.com and mustn’t forget flickr.com. Updating all of them takes a lot of time.

Then there’s the posting frequency. I see the traffic drop off dramatically when I miss a day so I set a goal for myself to write a post every day and to post a photo every day. So now I have to try to be creative both in writing and in photography and do it over and over and over again all while working full time and trying to get housework done. Cat hair piles up quickly.

Obviously there’s no moderation in that! 🙂

The other big area that needs moderation is food. Remember the line, I think from the movie Field of Dreams, “If you build it they will come”. Well, in my case it’s “if I cook it I will eat it” and I never mastered the trick of cooking for one. It’s just easier to cook in “bulk”. Of course then it can’t go to waste so it goes to my waist instead.