"Sometimes you have to run that red light to get your point across, but most of the time you're better off stopping yourself. Remember, a good conversation is like a tennis match with a lot of back and forth. So when you start talking about something-especially yourself-notice how long you take to get your thoughts out. Could you be getting the same point across with fewer words? Probably. If you're a compulsive rambler, it will take more than the traffic light rule to stop yourself, but it's definitely a good rule of thumb to start out with."