--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No.” It should no longer appear at the…" description: "\"“No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a sentence. That makes people think about what they’re saying before they start talking.”\" — Alan ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg" --- # No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a… ![“No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a sentence. That makes people think about what they’re saying before they start talking.” quote by Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg) > ““No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a sentence. That makes people think about what they’re saying before they start talking.”” [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages avoiding the word “No” at sentence start to prompt speakers to consider meaning before speaking. **In simple terms:** Skip starting sentences with “No” to think first. Key Takeaway Think before you speak. Themes communication mindfulness leadership Mood thoughtful calm Type advice leadership When to use this quote - meetings - presentations - negotiations - customer service Key Concepts psychology language framing Questions to Reflect On - How does pausing before a negative affect outcomes? - When is a firm “No” necessary? A Different Perspective May limit directness when clarity is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning Sentence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-sentence-3934204/) [Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying/) [Saying Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-start-2016275/) [Sentence Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentence-makes-1569567/) [Think Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-saying-668000/) ## Related quotes > [I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/i-know-all-those-words-but-that-sentence-makes-no-sense-to-me/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [No one signs a contact saying they will always start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eto-o/no-one-signs-a-contact-saying-they-will-always-start/) [Samuel Eto'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eto-o/) > [You usually don't care what other people are saying until they start whispering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-usually-don-t-care-what-other-people-are-saying-until-they-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“First: never use a long word if a short word will do. Second: if you want to make a statement with a great many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/first-never-use-a-long-word-if-a-short-word-will-do-second-if-you/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I wish I could say everything in one word. I hate all the things that can happen between the beginning of a sentence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-wish-i-could-say-everything-in-one-word-i-hate-all-the-things-that/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Art is like beginning a sentence before you know its ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/art-is-like-beginning-a-sentence-before-you-know-its-ending/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [I'm sorry, did the beginning of my sentence inturrupt the middle of yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-sorry-did-the-beginning-of-my-sentence-inturrupt-the-middle-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You're never saying what you think you're saying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/you-re-never-saying-what-you-think-you-re-saying/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [Whenever someone asked me - 'What's your dream?' I did not even have to think before saying - 'To see each & every corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zareen-khan/whenever-someone-asked-me-what-s-your-dream-i-did-not-even-have-to/) [Zareen Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zareen-khan/) > [I don't like getting myself in hot water. But suddenly I find that every minute I have to stop and think about what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-don-t-like-getting-myself-in-hot-water-but-suddenly-i-find-that/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [“To think without saying is to hold an armed grenade without throwing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-parra/to-think-without-saying-is-to-hold-an-armed-grenade-without-throwing/) [Francisco Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-parra/) > [“Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/through-the-years-i-have-heard-that-the-average-person-speaks-at/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“We all belong to Him, from the cradle to the grave, whether we know it or not. And He'll see justice done in His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/we-all-belong-to-him-from-the-cradle-to-the-grave-whether-we-know-it/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [When I'm painting outdoors, I only have time to think about what I'm saying, not how I'm saying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-smith/when-i-m-painting-outdoors-i-only-have-time-to-think-about-what-i-m/) [Matt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-smith/) > [Today before you think of saying an unkind word. think of someone who cant speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rares/today-before-you-think-of-saying-an-unkind-word-think-of-someone-who/) [Rares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rares/) ## More by Alan C. Greenberg > [“This may come as a surprise to some of you, but Federal Express is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Bear, Stearns & Co.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/this-may-come-as-a-surprise-to-some-of-you-but-federal-express-is-not/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“We are not panicking; we are not laying off people, but we are making a real effort to cut expenses. The other side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/we-are-not-panicking-we-are-not-laying-off-people-but-we-are-making-a/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“It is up to all of us to fight our unrelenting enemies—complacency, overconfidence and conceit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/it-is-up-to-all-of-us-to-fight-our-unrelenting-enemies-complacency/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [My father was the youngest of six brothers, and he was the brains. I never thought he was making what he should have. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/my-father-was-the-youngest-of-six-brothers-and-he-was-the-brains-i/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“The only statistic I care about is return on equity. After many sessions with some of our business school graduates (yes, we do have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/the-only-statistic-i-care-about-is-return-on-equity-after-many/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“Remember that the Green Bay Packers won because they executed the fundamentals better than their competition. Trick plays make headlines, but winners execute the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/remember-that-the-green-bay-packers-won-because-they-executed-the/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“The developments at Bear Stearns certainly seem to be positive and as a result we will, of course, intensify our surveillance of all positions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/the-developments-at-bear-stearns-certainly-seem-to-be-positive-and-as/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“When you are a private enterprise, savings on expenses go to the bottom line. When you are owned by the public, savings still go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/when-you-are-a-private-enterprise-savings-on-expenses-go-to-the/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“Haimchinkel Malintz Anaynikal recently brought to my attention certain intercompany feuds that have led to the downfall of firms smarter, richer and larger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/haimchinkel-malintz-anaynikal-recently-brought-to-my-attention/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [I'm very good in math, and I'm a logical thinker. I don't get wrapped up in things or even wrapped up in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/i-m-very-good-in-math-and-i-m-a-logical-thinker-i-don-t-get-wrapped/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“The year was over last Friday and it was a good one, but last year is gone. The score right now is nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/the-year-was-over-last-friday-and-it-was-a-good-one-but-last-year-is/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [My wife made me get a cellphone, which I keep in my briefcase. I've never used it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/my-wife-made-me-get-a-cellphone-which-i-keep-in-my-briefcase-i-ve/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) > [“At the partners meeting two weeks ago, it was pointed out to me by Haimchinkel Malintz Anaynikal that the hors d’oeuvres had been upgraded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/at-the-partners-meeting-two-weeks-ago-it-was-pointed-out-to-me-by/) [Alan C. Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) [Explore all 14 Alan C. Greenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/) ## More Saying quotes > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [“Fine’s a funny word, don’t you think? I don’t think there’s another like it in the English language that says so much while actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/fine-s-a-funny-word-don-t-you-think-i-don-t-think-there-s-another/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [I always think 12 times before saying anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-blethyn/i-always-think-12-times-before-saying-anything/) [Brenda Blethyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-blethyn/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“...choose your battles wisely and remember, what the heart knows, walks afar from reason. It simply is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-tsanatelis/choose-your-battles-wisely-and-remember-what-the-heart-knows-walks/) [Angelo Tsanatelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-tsanatelis/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Your job as a writer is to find storylines, narrative structures, and characters to show the things that you believe rather than saying them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/your-job-as-a-writer-is-to-find-storylines-narrative-structures-and/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [Oh, but there's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it,' wailed Anne. 'You may know a thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-but-there-s-such-a-difference-between-saying-a-thing-yourself-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [Don't ever sell mankind short by saying there's anything they can't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredric-brown/don-t-ever-sell-mankind-short-by-saying-there-s-anything-they-can-t-do/) [Fredric Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredric-brown/) > [There was a lot of stress and assumptions made without me even saying anything, which was very upsetting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/there-was-a-lot-of-stress-and-assumptions-made-without-me-even-saying/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) [Browse all 3,547 Saying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a sentence. That makes people think about what they’re saying before they start talking.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan C. Greenberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beginning-of-a-sentence-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Saying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beginning-of-a-sentence-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/alan-c-greenberg-33834_quote_no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beg_1590817.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No.” It should no longer appear at the beginning of a sentence. That makes people think about what they’re…” — Alan C. Greenberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan C. Greenberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-c-greenberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No.” It should no longer appear...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beginning-of-a-sentence-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-c-greenberg/no-it-should-no-longer-appear-at-the-beginning-of-a-sentence-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```