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Overused phrases, they are so old school. Who am I to engage in cliches, but if I hear another person say “let’s keep it real”, I’m going to throw them under the bus.

This is actually my second blog on clichés. If I’ve repeated one again, don’t blame me, they’re clichés after all!

Clichés are fast-food reflexes. We all know what they mean, no original thinking is required. Clichés are par for the course (to borrow one for illustration).

Elephant in the room. I never want to hear this phrase again. I think this phrase mainly applies to men. Just sayin’.

Let’s touch base. No an offensive saying, just really overused.

Head on a swivel. Look around and be aware. This phrase gets old fast.

Adult conversation. This was popular a few years ago in politics. Everyone was using the phrase and it became an instant cliche.

Read between the lines. In other words, get a clue and be perceptive.

Why are you so quiet? As an introvert, quiet is who am I. Other introverts know the feeling, we talk when we want, and don’t when we prefer to be quiet. This is who we are.

Like a well-oiled machine. This belongs to a different generation. People do not want to think of themselves as machine parts. Teamwork should called for what it is.

Hit the ground running. One of those job interview answers. When you hit the ground, do you know where you’re running toward?

Game changer. What game? Life?

Happy camper. This was cute back in the 1950s but it has not aged well.

Deep dive. The new catch phrase. An in-depth examination, research or analysis. It is quickly losing its significance because everyone is using it and dulling the impact.

No pain, no gain. Sacrifice and hard work. Just say it.

That being said… The same thing as “but” or “however”, anything prior to those words do not matter.

Chill-out. Snoop Dog should be the only one legally allowed to use this saying.

Ok, Boomer. Very dismissive. If someone says this to me, the response back is something like: “Thank you, ass@$&@.”

It’s not you, it’s me. Oh please, it’s really you. Just be honest. This Seinfeld phrase should be retired.

Personal space. When someone uses this phrase, you might as well hire Henry Kissinger. You are being told where the boundaries are. Backup.

I need time to think. This essentially means we are done talking and you aren’t likely going to appreciate the result.

Bring to the table. What are you bringing to the table? Is it invisible? Should we guess? If you have something significant to offer, show it and make sure we understand why it is pertinent. Don’t tie it with a cliché.

Beat a dead horse. It usually means, enough, anything more and there will be angry words. The point has been made, and made. For some reason, there are people who cannot stop, they cannot find the “off” switch.

Big picture. What exactly is the big picture? Someone who can think conceptually or looks strategically? That’s a rarer quality then people realize.

Analytics. It’s business cool to say analytics or metrics. At least it is no longer “crunch some numbers”.

Fire in the belly. Inner drive, commitment and passion for something. Men say this instead of beating their chests.

Fall on your sword. This phrase draws a line in the sand. It is very important because it implies someone will risk their reputation or even career on something. Saying this should be a rarity, but it isn’t.