--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Body language is a very powerful tool…" description: "\"“Body language is a very powerful tool... 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.”\" — Deborah Bull" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png" --- # Body language is a very powerful tool... 80% of what you… ![“Body language is a very powerful tool... 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.” quote by Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png) > ““Body language is a very powerful tool... 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.”” [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Non‑verbal cues dominate communication, with most understanding coming from posture, gestures, and facial expressions rather than spoken words. **In simple terms:** Body language conveys most of what we understand in talks. Key Takeaway Pay attention to posture and gestures. Themes communication perception non‑verbal psychology Mood analytical pragmatic insightful Type educational practical When to use this quote - job interviews - negotiations - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts embodied cognition social signaling emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What body signals do you miss? - How can you verify non‑verbal impressions? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on non‑verbal can mislead when cues are ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-language/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/of-what-you-understand-in-a-conversation-is-read-through-the-body-not/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-we-had-body-language-before-we/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [I can read your body language like a conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dom-kennedy/i-can-read-your-body-language-like-a-conversation/) [Dom Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dom-kennedy/) > [Body language is powerful source of understanding ones personality.80% what you make about a person is read through the body the body language not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/body-language-is-powerful-source-of-understanding-ones-personality-80/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [There's really no substitute for being able to sit across from someone, have eye contact, see and read their body language, hear the inflection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-brennan/there-s-really-no-substitute-for-being-able-to-sit-across-from/) [Margaret Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-brennan/) > [“You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to read the body language that people’s homes present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/you-don-t-have-to-be-sherlock-holmes-to-read-the-body-language-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I ordered a beer, opened the newspaper, and realized the light was all wrong for reading. Still, if you're a woman sitting alone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-ordered-a-beer-opened-the-newspaper-and-realized-the-light-was-all/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [“But I believe that a commonplace idea stated with passionate conviction carries more living truth than some novel observation expressed with cool indifference. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-believe-that-a-commonplace-idea-stated-with-passionate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A sword can only pierce the body, but words can pierce the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-sword-can-only-pierce-the-body-but-words-can-pierce-the-soul/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Men have firm beautiful bodies with cut muscles. But the curves and gentleness of a woman’s body is beyond a words measure; with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-logsdon/men-have-firm-beautiful-bodies-with-cut-muscles-but-the-curves-and/) [S.K. Logsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-logsdon/) > [Once you can understand where the conversation is, who leads, the type of voices and the best place for you to add your voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-joel/once-you-can-understand-where-the-conversation-is-who-leads-the-type/) [Mitch Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-joel/) > [“It came upon me little by little. I came to like the life here, with its ease and its leisure, and the people, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-came-upon-me-little-by-little-i-came-to-like-the-life-here-with/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The most difficult thing to understand during conversation is silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-most-difficult-thing-to-understand-during-conversation-is-silence/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It's an honest place to be if you don't understand someone else's experience, but there's no way for the other to understand if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-king/it-s-an-honest-place-to-be-if-you-don-t-understand-someone-else-s/) [Regina King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-king/) > [What you gotta understand is, in this conversation and in our fight, you're not in control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/what-you-gotta-understand-is-in-this-conversation-and-in-our-fight/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) ## More by Deborah Bull > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [I think the shape of our bodies has as much to do with the shape of our parents as it does with training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-the-shape-of-our-bodies-has-as-much-to-do-with-the-shape-of/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [A good dancer is an educated one, so don't abandon school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/a-good-dancer-is-an-educated-one-so-don-t-abandon-school/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/of-what-you-understand-in-a-conversation-is-read-through-the-body-not/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [People often argue about this. Obviously one of the skills in performance is acting, and you can't expect every Romeo to really be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/people-often-argue-about-this-obviously-one-of-the-skills-in/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [I do take class because I still dance, and yes, I do slip into class with the Royal Ballet from time to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-do-take-class-because-i-still-dance-and-yes-i-do-slip-into-class/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Young dancers are training at a very vulnerable time in their lives... So train the whole person, not just the dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/young-dancers-are-training-at-a-very-vulnerable-time-in-their-lives/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Because muscle is heavier than fat, dancers weigh more than you might think, but they are usually very lean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/because-muscle-is-heavier-than-fat-dancers-weigh-more-than-you-might/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Dancing is a tough career, but I'm glad I spent it at the Royal Ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/dancing-is-a-tough-career-but-i-m-glad-i-spent-it-at-the-royal-ballet/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [At the moment I'm enjoying a new challenge at the Royal Opera House, but I'm also keen to pursue my interest in television and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/at-the-moment-i-m-enjoying-a-new-challenge-at-the-royal-opera-house/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [I've always believed that the facts about dancing are more interesting than the myths, and this was a great chance for me to explore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-facts-about-dancing-are-more/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [A good dancer is an educated one, so dont abandon school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/a-good-dancer-is-an-educated-one-so-dont-abandon-school/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Young dancers are training at a very vulnerable time in their lives, through adolescence, and while they are trying to work out who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/young-dancers-are-training-at-a-very-vulnerable-time-in-their-lives-2/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [So experience of other dance forms is a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/so-experience-of-other-dance-forms-is-a-good-idea/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [I have lots of interests, but it's true that dancing is a very full-time job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-have-lots-of-interests-but-it-s-true-that-dancing-is-a-very-full/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) [Explore all 29 Deborah Bull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) ## More Body language quotes > [Maybe there's some kind of modeling that can be tedious, like catalogue modeling, but there's a kind of modeling, with runways or working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/maybe-there-s-some-kind-of-modeling-that-can-be-tedious-like/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Body language as a non verbal communication is very essential in any relationship, being completely oblivion of body language reduces chances of lasting relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/body-language-as-a-non-verbal-communication-is-very-essential-in-any/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [The earliest language was body language and, since this language is the language of questions, if we limit the questions, and if we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-earliest-language-was-body-language-and-since-this-language-is/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [“Even without words, you communicate through touch, body language, and facial expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmel-sheridan/even-without-words-you-communicate-through-touch-body-language-and/) [Carmel Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmel-sheridan/) > [Your body language shapes who you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/your-body-language-shapes-who-you-are/) [Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/) > [Whatever questions I ask, will you give me an honest answer? Do you love me? why do you blush look away and say no?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/whatever-questions-i-ask-will-you-give-me-an-honest-answer-do-you/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“5 Tips for Mirroring Others 1. Body language. When they smile, you smile. When they lean back in their chair, you lean back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/5-tips-for-mirroring-others-1-body-language-when-they-smile-you-smile/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [When you play somebody, you pick up a lot of their gestures, his voice, the way he speaks, his body language. You don't often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-loggia/when-you-play-somebody-you-pick-up-a-lot-of-their-gestures-his-voice/) [Robert Loggia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-loggia/) > [Part of the reason why I love to operate is because I find that so much of what we do is instinctual. It's dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/part-of-the-reason-why-i-love-to-operate-is-because-i-find-that-so/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“A smile is one of the most powerful and important body language cues we share with others—and as such a heartfelt emotion, it's impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/a-smile-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-and-important-body-language-cues/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“A blanket could be used to say I’m sorry without using words, gestures, body language, facial expressions, or telepathy. I’ve always thought it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-say-i-m-sorry-without-using-words-gestures/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I am an emotional and fragile person. I observe life, I am perceptive and can read a person's body language. I have a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madhur-bhandarkar/i-am-an-emotional-and-fragile-person-i-observe-life-i-am-perceptive/) [Madhur Bhandarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madhur-bhandarkar/) > [In writing, punctuation plays the role of body language. It helps readers hear you the way you want to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/in-writing-punctuation-plays-the-role-of-body-language-it-helps/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [“Unapokutana na mtu, kisha mtu huyo haoneshi dalili yoyote ya kutaka kusalimiwa; je, anataka umsalimie au usimsalimie? Ndugu yangu, onesha lugha ya mwili kuonesha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/unapokutana-na-mtu-kisha-mtu-huyo-haoneshi-dalili-yoyote-ya-kutaka/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) [Browse all 383 Body language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-language/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Body language is a very powerful tool... \u202880% of what you understand in a conversation\u2028is read through the body, not the words.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Bull" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80-of-what-you-understand-in-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80-of-what-you-understand-in-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/deborah-bull-21469_body-language_body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80_1690758.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Body language is a very powerful tool... 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the…” — Deborah Bull", "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": "Deborah Bull", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Body language is a very powerful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80-of-what-you-understand-in-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/body-language-is-a-very-powerful-tool-80-of-what-you-understand-in-a/#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 } } ] } ```