--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you have nothing important or…" description: "\"When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.\" — H. Jackson Brown, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png" --- # When you have nothing important or interesting to say… ![“When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.” quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png) > “When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.” [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advises against speaking just to fill silence; speak only when you have something meaningful. **In simple terms:** Speak only when you have something worth saying. Key Takeaway Choose meaningful communication. Themes communication authenticity self‑control Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - social gatherings - online posts - meetings - public speaking Key Concepts speech value personal integrity Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to stay silent? - How does meaningful speech affect relationships? A Different Perspective Silence can be misinterpreted as disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“The most effective way to stop people from trying to persuade me is to say, ‘I’m not interested.’ You should try it. Don’t offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-most-effective-way-to-stop-people-from-trying-to-persuade-me-is/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Let no one persuade you by word or deed to do or say whatever is not best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/let-no-one-persuade-you-by-word-or-deed-to-do-or-say-whatever-is-not/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [What made me love thee? let that persuade thee, there's something extraordinary in thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-made-me-love-thee-let-that-persuade-thee-there-s-something-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Let one persuade many, and he becomes confirmed and convinced, and cares for no better evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/let-one-persuade-many-and-he-becomes-confirmed-and-convinced-and/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [It's a thing where you gotta stay true to yourself and be clear on what it is that you want to go for. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/it-s-a-thing-where-you-gotta-stay-true-to-yourself-and-be-clear-on/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [“Interesting people aren't interesting because of what they always say; the most interesting people are the ones that always listen!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/interesting-people-aren-t-interesting-because-of-what-they-always-say/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [“be interesting! Even if you have something interesting to say, your delivery can make people read, or run.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-medhora/be-interesting-even-if-you-have-something-interesting-to-say-your/) Neville Medhora > [“People who read always have something interesting to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-read-always-have-something-interesting-to-say/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always looking for something new and interesting to say. And it can't be something I'm directly experiencing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/i-m-always-looking-for-something-new-and-interesting-to-say-and-it/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I'm constantly saying, 'I read a fascinating article in 'The New Yorker'... ' I say it so often that sometimes I think I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-m-constantly-saying-i-read-a-fascinating-article-in-the-new-yorker/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“Even people who appear so dull that they couldn’t possibly have anything interesting to say, do have something interesting to say. Guaranteed. But first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jelbert/even-people-who-appear-so-dull-that-they-couldn-t-possibly-have/) [Will Jelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jelbert/) > [If death is in the room, it's pretty interesting. But I would also say that I'm interested in getting myself to believe that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/if-death-is-in-the-room-it-s-pretty-interesting-but-i-would-also-say/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A brick could be used as the lead singer of a band called “The More Interesting Than.” I would say get Miley Cyrus to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-as-the-lead-singer-of-a-band-called-the-more/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Being a writer is all about having something to say. And it’d better be interesting. If you don’t have anything interesting to say, don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/being-a-writer-is-all-about-having-something-to-say-and-it-d-better/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [I don't mind talking about acting. I don't have anything interesting to say about it, but it's interesting talking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/i-don-t-mind-talking-about-acting-i-don-t-have-anything-interesting/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) ## More by H. Jackson Brown, Jr > [Hire people more for their judgment than for their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/hire-people-more-for-their-judgment-than-for-their-talents/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [We're constantly striving for success, fame and comfort when all we really need to be happy is someone or some thing to be enthusiastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/we-re-constantly-striving-for-success-fame-and-comfort-when-all-we/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Develop a sense of urgency in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/develop-a-sense-of-urgency-in-your-life/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Give children toys that are powered by their imagination, not by batteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/give-children-toys-that-are-powered-by-their-imagination-not-by/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Dont say you dont have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/dont-say-you-dont-have-enough-time-you-have-exactly-the-same-number/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Put a love note in his shaving kit before he leaves on a business trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/put-a-love-note-in-his-shaving-kit-before-he-leaves-on-a-business-trip/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/always-have-something-beautiful-in-sight-even-if-it-s-just-a-daisy-in/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/you-can-get-by-on-charm-for-about-15-minutes-after-that-you-better/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Spend your time and energy creating, not criticizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/spend-your-time-and-energy-creating-not-criticizing/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Oh, the difference between nearly right and exactly right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/oh-the-difference-between-nearly-right-and-exactly-right/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Become the world's most thoughtful friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/become-the-world-s-most-thoughtful-friend/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that almost everything looks better after a good night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-almost-everything-looks-better-after-a-good-night-s/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Mature love is composed and sustaining; a celebration of commitment, companionship, and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/mature-love-is-composed-and-sustaining-a-celebration-of-commitment/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that creating a successful marriage is like farming: you have to start over again every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-creating-a-successful-marriage-is-like-farming-you-have/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/be-modest-a-lot-was-accomplished-before-you-were-born/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) [Explore all 239 H. Jackson Brown, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## More Important quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Fiscal prudence is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/fiscal-prudence-is-very-important/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [If I had learned how to get along in the quotidian world while keeping up the search for the hidden realm, I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/if-i-had-learned-how-to-get-along-in-the-quotidian-world-while/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [Modeling is more important than the talking we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-williams/modeling-is-more-important-than-the-talking-we-do/) Wayne Williams > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) Browse all 30,993 Important quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. Jackson Brown, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/when-you-have-nothing-important-or-interesting-to-say-don-t-let/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Important" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/when-you-have-nothing-important-or-interesting-to-say-don-t-let/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/475/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_important_when-you-have-nothing-important-or-inter_2148744.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr", "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": "H. Jackson Brown, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you have nothing important or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/when-you-have-nothing-important-or-interesting-to-say-don-t-let/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/when-you-have-nothing-important-or-interesting-to-say-don-t-let/#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 } } ] } ```