“Like” is hurting your credibility

You know what it's like, like when you, like, walk into a room and it's, like, full of people, and you, like, don’t know anyone, so you just, like, stand there trying to, like, figure out what to do?

Have you ever caught yourself saying "like" too often?

Overusing filler words can make us sound uncertain or less confident.

In professional settings, each extra "like" distracts from our message and impacts how others perceive us.

To help with this, author Steve Herz suggests starting by noticing how often people around you say "like."

Hearing it frequently in others makes us more aware of our own speech and helps us recognize when we’re using fillers.

Once you’re aware, try replacing "like" with a pause.

Pausing not only cuts out the filler but also projects confidence and lets your words resonate.

Small changes like these can make a big difference in how we come across.