Noam Chomsky holds that the grammatical basis of language is universal; that absolutely all human beings, regardless of whether we speak Spanish or Zulu, build our thinking based on language and that our linguistic capacity is partly determined by our genetics. Does this mean that a person is predestined to speak or write well based on their genes? Absolutely. The learning process (especially in the earliest stages) also has a significant influence on language and therefore some of the most productive characters in the world, as Jeff Bezos, defend tooth and nail the importance of writing well … a simple rule of thumb that can determine how successful that person will be in their professional career.
Thanks to Chomsky, today we know two basic things that reinforce the importance of education from infancy: that (almost) anyone in the world can develop superlative intelligence (even if you can only express it in your language) and that it is not enough to be a mathematical genius or a tech ace to be successful in your professional career. Learning to write well is essential to develop thinking and, therefore, intelligence. And that is precisely the position of Jeff Bezos, who in his day came to banning PowerPoint presentations on Amazon and instead established a six-page dossier system.
For Bezos, writing well means being able not only to communicate clearly, but also to think about complex problems. Write, in short, makes you more persuasive and smart. But, How do you master this complex but vital skill? You are likely to be looking for tips or tricks to write well, but according to Bezos himself, these kinds of quick fixes will only allow you to achieve a certain mastery of writing. To become an expert, there are also writing clubs or workshops, but if you really want to write well, the Amazon founder points out that what you need is a lot of uninterrupted time to focus.
It is one of the ideas included in the letter Bezos sent to Amazon shareholders in 2017. In it, the billionaire explains that those who work to master difficult skills like writing must recognize excellence when they see it: If you want to be excellent at writing, you need to know what excellent writing looks like. This is where both reading and conventional advice on grammar and writing come in handy. But you also need a second, even more essential ingredient: “Many mistakenly believe that a high-level six-page memo can be written in a day or two or even a few hours, when in reality it could take a week or more.
“The best memos are due write, revise and rewrite before a colleague offers a first ‘feedback’, according to Bezos, who considers it convenient to let a few days pass before evaluating the incorporation of those comments, with a fresher mind. Perhaps, the only problem is where to get all that time: aside from journalism – with really narrow lapses to write urgent news, for example-, most people only have a few minutes between tasks at work. Therefore, thinking about having a few hours to perfect your writing is something chimerical.
Co-workers don’t usually have time to read what you’ve written and give you feedback, either, so Bezos’s idea is more complicated to execute than it sounds. Hence, many times, perfecting your writing even requires your free time. So making space on your calendar and planning a few hours a week just to sit down and write may be the easiest way. Also use a vacation or a long weekend, such as the next Easter, to immerse yourself in the world of writing. But, above all, read. Reading a lot.