If you don’t have anything of value to add to a conversation, don’t do so. Instead, just listen to what’s being said – and actually listen . Try to seek out meaningful conversations and avoid meaningless chatter. This doesn’t mean that you avoid getting to know other people and small talk, but that you recognize that there is a distinct purpose to such conversations and you keep a focus on that purpose. Idle chatter for no purpose is the problem, as is speaking just to fill space in the conversation.