5 Clichés That Just Might Not Serve You Well

Clichés. They start out punchy, but over time they lose their flavor and worse, they stop sounding like you.

Here are 5 that show up in business writing way too often and might not be doing you any favors:

“Age is just a number.” It’s meant to be empowering, but it’s also dismissive. Age isn’t just a number, it’s experience, perspective, resilience, and a few damn good stories. Don’t erase your hard-earned miles because they’re what make you credible.

“I crushed it!” Yay, you! But when every win is “crushed,” the words start to sound hollow. Try telling us how you did it, what you learned, who helped, what almost went sideways. That’s where the human part lives.

“At the end of the day…” At the end of the day, it’s just another way of saying, nothing new. Replace it with something more specific. “Ultimately,” “the real takeaway,” “what really matters” all work harder and sound fresher.

“I’m passionate about helping others.” You and 100% of LinkedIn. Show us instead and tell the story of a moment where your work actually helped someone. Passion is great, but proof is better.

“I am you.” I get what people mean and that's relatability! Connection! But it can feel patronizing or oddly self-congratulatory. You’re not me; you’re you. Tell me why we might understand each other, not why we’re twins.

Next time you write something and it sounds like it could be on a motivational poster at your dentist’s office, pause. Ask: Does this sound like me, or like LinkedIn’s greatest hits?

Original always wins.