Running Start

I’m standing in line at Subway and I’ve just heard for maybe the billionth time someone begin a sentence with a ‘starter’ phrase. You know what I mean: the stuff you say before the stuff you want to say? I’m guilty of it myself—at least I have been.  As I become aware of when I do it, I try to make a conscious effort to stop.

For instance, when making an important business call, I used to begin with, “Ah, yes—” but once I heard myself doing it, I wondered why I was and then began thinking about it before the person who would eventually be on the other end picked up.

That’s where I hear it for the most part: people on the phone.  How do so many have this same learned behavior?  I certainly wasn’t taught to say these phrases in these situations and doubt anyone else was.