People often confuse clarity with polish.
I used to do that too.
Polish is about how something looks and sounds.
The elegant phrasing.
The smooth transitions.
The clever turn of words.
And it makes sense.
When something is polished, it shines.
Why wouldn’t you want that?
Well, maybe because the thing you polished wasn’t worth polishing in the first place.
And that’s what clarity is about.
It’s about whether the thing you’re about to polish is a diamond.
Something that’s so pure that when people get it they almost laugh at themselves for not seeing it earlier: “Of course that’s how it works.”
Once you have that clarity, polish can make people see it better and appreciate it more.
Now, here’s where it really gets interesting:
When clarity is strong, the message still stands even without the polish.
But the other way around? Nope.
All the polish in the world can’t save a message that never reaches that moment of of course.
So say things better, sure. But first of all, say better things.
Keep lighting the path!
