--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To Drive Home a Point People think that…" description: "\"“To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they elaborate and explain, the more convincing they will be. They confuse quantity with persuasivene..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/bill-mcgowan-19272_persuade-people_to-drive-home-a-point-people-think-that_456084.jpg" --- # To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they… ![“To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they elaborate and explain, the more convincing they will be. They confuse quantity with persuasiveness. So they often say the same thing over and over again, talk in circles, and even tell random stories that don’t support their message. This…” quote by Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/bill-mcgowan-19272_persuade-people_to-drive-home-a-point-people-think-that_456084.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/bill-mcgowan-19272_persuade-people_to-drive-home-a-point-people-think-that_456084.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/bill-mcgowan-19272_persuade-people_to-drive-home-a-point-people-think-that_456084.jpg) > ““To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they elaborate and explain, the more convincing they will be. They confuse quantity with persuasiveness. So they often say the same thing over and over again, talk in circles, and even tell random stories that don’t support their message. This, however, doesn’t persuade people. Instead, it bores them.”” [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often mistake verbosity for persuasiveness, repeating ideas and adding irrelevant anecdotes, which bores rather than convinces listeners. **In simple terms:** More words don’t equal more influence. Key Takeaway Focus on clarity and relevance. Themes communication persuasion clarity efficiency Mood frustrated informed Type advisory didactic When to use this quote - sales pitches - team meetings - public speaking - marketing copy Key Concepts cognitive overload message fatigue Questions to Reflect On - How can you trim your message without losing meaning? - What stories truly support your point? A Different Perspective Quantity can dilute impact if not paired with substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Explain Convincing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-convincing-3970799/) [Persuade People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade-people-1235721/) [Persuasiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasiveness-1351741/) [Persuasiveness Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasiveness-say-3970800/) [Quantity Persuasiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantity-persuasiveness-3970798/) ## Related quotes > [There is no persuasiveness more effectual than the transparency of a single heart, of a sincere life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barber-lightfoot/there-is-no-persuasiveness-more-effectual-than-the-transparency-of-a/) [Joseph Barber Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barber-lightfoot/) > [Persuasiveness is really just about getting your ideas across without being forceful. It's a skill that can be learned and is useful for anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/persuasiveness-is-really-just-about-getting-your-ideas-across-without/) [Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/) > [I try to be careful with my persuasiveness. When my heart is really behind it, and when I have no ulterior motive, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/i-try-to-be-careful-with-my-persuasiveness-when-my-heart-is-really/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [Persuasiveness takes finesse; it takes an understanding of human psychology. And intention is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/persuasiveness-takes-finesse-it-takes-an-understanding-of-human/) [Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/) > [It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I feel like it is easy to get people to see eye-to-eye with you on little things, but if I were to talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-thiessen/i-feel-like-it-is-easy-to-get-people-to-see-eye-to-eye-with-you-on/) [Matt Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-thiessen/) > [Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/life-happens-too-fast-for-you-ever-to-think-about-it-if-you-could/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [My job is to persuade people to toe the line and play within the laws of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lewis/my-job-is-to-persuade-people-to-toe-the-line-and-play-within-the-laws/) [Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lewis/) > [It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-inge/it-was-said-that-mr-gladstone-could-persuade-most-people-of-most/) [Dean Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-inge/) > [When you're trying to persuade people, more often than not, they feel you're being pushy. When you focus on influencing them, they're much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-re-trying-to-persuade-people-more-often-than-not-they-feel/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [“When your turn comes to jump into the Nothing, you too will be a nameless servant of power, with no will of your own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-your-turn-comes-to-jump-into-the-nothing-you-too-will-be-a-2/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Leaders have two characteristics: first they are going somewhere, and second they are able to persuade other people to go with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-have-two-characteristics-first-they-are-going-somewhere-and/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I try to persuade people to act in ways that are not only in their own interest, but in the interest of society at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/i-try-to-persuade-people-to-act-in-ways-that-are-not-only-in-their/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [We've got to rebuild human hearts - and persuade people that hope isn't just possible, but essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-snow/we-ve-got-to-rebuild-human-hearts-and-persuade-people-that-hope-isn-t/) [Tony Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-snow/) > [It was not hard to persuade people that the market was sound; as always in such times they asked only that the dispiriting voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/it-was-not-hard-to-persuade-people-that-the-market-was-sound-as/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## More by Bill McGowan > [“For the next three hours . . .” Wow! Talk about an interest-killer. The last thing any audience wants to be reminded of is that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/for-the-next-three-hours-wow-talk-about-an-interest-killer-the-last/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“fact, good communication is a lot like pasta sauce. The more you boil down and reduce a sauce, the more dynamic the flavor. Speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/fact-good-communication-is-a-lot-like-pasta-sauce-the-more-you-boil/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“According to Inside Apple, Steve Jobs practiced dozens of times before a big presentation, staging and rehearsing so that nothing was left to chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/according-to-inside-apple-steve-jobs-practiced-dozens-of-times-before/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“The Conviction Principle Convey certainty with words, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/the-conviction-principle-convey-certainty-with-words-eye-contact/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“To be more thoughtful and selective, we need time. To gain more time, we need to slow down. Yes, it really is as simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/to-be-more-thoughtful-and-selective-we-need-time-to-gain-more-time-we/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Speaking cleanly is a very Zen experience. It’s about being 100 percent focused on the thought you are in the midst of articulating. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/speaking-cleanly-is-a-very-zen-experience-it-s-about-being-100/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Gratuitous Gratitude Gratitude has a place, but don’t spend the first full minute of your remarks thanking a long laundry list of people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/gratuitous-gratitude-gratitude-has-a-place-but-don-t-spend-the-first/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Consumers don’t want to know about the process of how something came into existence. What they want to know is: How will this product…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/consumers-don-t-want-to-know-about-the-process-of-how-something-came/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Focus on What You Want to Say, Not on What You Think the Audience Is Thinking Many people pay too much attention to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/focus-on-what-you-want-to-say-not-on-what-you-think-the-audience-is/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Prepare, prepare, prepare. Practice, practice, practice. From here on, accept every invitation you get to do public speaking. Be the first one with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/prepare-prepare-prepare-practice-practice-practice-from-here-on/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Discomfort Many of us are uncomfortable with silence, so we compensate by filling that silence with words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/discomfort-many-of-us-are-uncomfortable-with-silence-so-we-compensate/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Five minutes before you start speaking, take a long inhale through your nose—hold it for a couple of seconds—and then very slowly exhale through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/five-minutes-before-you-start-speaking-take-a-long-inhale-through/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“Being on the Defensive Many people think that the faster they talk, the more convincing they’ll sound. As I’ve said before, however, the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/being-on-the-defensive-many-people-think-that-the-faster-they-talk/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“The first thirty seconds of any conversation or presentation are like the last two minutes of a football game. This is when victory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/the-first-thirty-seconds-of-any-conversation-or-presentation-are-like/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) > [“When speaking, go easy on the BACKSPACE button. It can create a frustratingly halting way of communicating in which the stutter step is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mcgowan/when-speaking-go-easy-on-the-backspace-button-it-can-create-a/) [Bill McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) [Explore all 33 Bill McGowan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mcgowan/) ## More Persuade People quotes > [It was not hard to persuade people that the market was sound; as always in such times they asked only that the dispiriting voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/it-was-not-hard-to-persuade-people-that-the-market-was-sound-as/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [We've got to rebuild human hearts - and persuade people that hope isn't just possible, but essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-snow/we-ve-got-to-rebuild-human-hearts-and-persuade-people-that-hope-isn-t/) [Tony Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-snow/) > [I try to persuade people to act in ways that are not only in their own interest, but in the interest of society at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/i-try-to-persuade-people-to-act-in-ways-that-are-not-only-in-their/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [Leaders have two characteristics: first they are going somewhere, and second they are able to persuade other people to go with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-have-two-characteristics-first-they-are-going-somewhere-and/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“When your turn comes to jump into the Nothing, you too will be a nameless servant of power, with no will of your own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-your-turn-comes-to-jump-into-the-nothing-you-too-will-be-a-2/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [When you're trying to persuade people, more often than not, they feel you're being pushy. When you focus on influencing them, they're much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-re-trying-to-persuade-people-more-often-than-not-they-feel/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-inge/it-was-said-that-mr-gladstone-could-persuade-most-people-of-most/) [Dean Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-inge/) > [My job is to persuade people to toe the line and play within the laws of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lewis/my-job-is-to-persuade-people-to-toe-the-line-and-play-within-the-laws/) [Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lewis/) > [Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/life-happens-too-fast-for-you-ever-to-think-about-it-if-you-could/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I feel like it is easy to get people to see eye-to-eye with you on little things, but if I were to talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-thiessen/i-feel-like-it-is-easy-to-get-people-to-see-eye-to-eye-with-you-on/) [Matt Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-thiessen/) > [It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-wise-to-persuade-people-to-do-things-and-make-them-think-it-was/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The best way to persuade people is with your ears - by listening to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-rusk/the-best-way-to-persuade-people-is-with-your-ears-by-listening-to-them/) [Dean Rusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-rusk/) > [It's better to get smart than to get mad. I try not to get so insulted that I will not take advantage of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-johnson/it-s-better-to-get-smart-than-to-get-mad-i-try-not-to-get-so-insulted/) [John H. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-johnson/) > [When people disagree with you, what you ultimately have to do is persuade people to agree with you - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/when-people-disagree-with-you-what-you-ultimately-have-to-do-is/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-only-confess-our-little-faults-to-persuade-people-that-we-have-no/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Browse all 36 Persuade People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuade-people-1235721/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To Drive Home a Point People think that the more they elaborate and explain, the more convincing they will be. They confuse quantity with persuasiveness. 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