In-neutral / Caution url
Thinking of entering an abandoned house
- I’m not running so fast to go there.
- It just doesn’t sit right with me.
- In my opinion I’ll be lucky if I survive by the skin of my teeth.
- I sense that this might be something I might live to regret.
- I’m going to take one step at a time.
- Something undesirable could happen at any time at the drop of the hat.
- I think I’ve gotten about as far as I’m going to get.
- I’m on the look-out.
- Hold your horses.
- I can’t chance it.
- Are you crazy, why on earth would I ever try to do something like that?
Thinking of entering an abandoned house
In-positive / Determination url
Person who is depressed
- I decided on the spot, once and for all, that I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.
- I woke up and said, there’s no time like the present.
- I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet.
- I’m determined to resist the temptation.
- This is the first day of the rest of my life.
- I overcame the difficulties confronting me.
- I’ve made my mind up.
- I made a clean break.
- Everything takes time.
- Now I’m more determined than ever!
- There’s always a first time.
- I'm 100% focused on making sure I get myself out of this crazy situation.
Person who is depressed
In-positive / Confidence url
Suggesting a new sales strategy at work
- You bet your bottom dollar.
- I’m going to hit it out of the ballpark.
- I know what’s at stake.
- You can count on it.
- The sky’s the limit.
- There’s plenty more where that came from.
- It’s working like a charm.
- There’s no question about it.
- It’s going to knock your socks off.
- Take it from me.
- With any luck at all we’ll be able to get to the next level.
- I’m going to knock it out of the park.
- When you look at my plan you'll see that it all adds up.
- I knew it right off the bat.
- I’m firing on all cylinders.
- Things are really starting to click.
Suggesting a new sales strategy at work
Out-positive / Agreement url
Do you agree that people should leave their phones at the desk when eating in a restaurant?
- I think that would improve the situation.
- I think they should give it a try.
- My personal experience bears you out.
- You're right on point.
- I think you’re onto something.
- That goes without saying.
- That’s a good point.
Do you agree that people should leave their phones at the desk when eating in a restaurant?
In-negative / Explaining url
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
- What did you expect me to do?
- That’s not my style.
- Why should I take the risk?
- I do what I have to do.
- I’m doing it just to be on the safe side.
- It’s taking all my will power to resist.
- I was holding on by a thread.
- I think it's the best thing to do.
- My hands are tied.
- It’s out of my hands.
- I’m conflicted about it.
- I shudder when I think of the downside of doing this.
- I’d rather play it safe.
- It's the right thing to do.
- I just can’t take the chance.
- The risks far outweigh the benefits.
- The way I look at it, I really don’t have much of a choice.
- I can’t see myself doing that.
Refusing to lie on a tax return to save money
In-negative / Explaining url
After investing in worthless land
- I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
- I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
- I should have known.
- It seemed like the right to do thing at the time.
- It took me totally by surprise.
- I was talked into it.
- The thought that this would be such a bad decision never crossed my mind.
- There’s not a whole lot I can do about it at this point.
- That never would have dawned on me.
- I didn’t see it coming.
- In theory that was how it was supposed to play out, but in actuality that’s not what happened.
- How was I supposed to know that?
- It beats me how that could have happened.
- It was an honest mistake.
- It could happen to anyone.
- I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way I expected them to.
- I found out the hard way.
- The thought never even crossed my mind.
- That was something I wasn’t even aware of.
- Frankly, it’s just not something I could have anticipated.
- That’s something I just didn’t count on.
- They really took me to the cleaners.
- I must admit, from the beginning the whole thing wasn’t clear to me, and went way over my head.
- I was a sitting duck.
- I was being penny wise and pound foolish.
After investing in worthless land
In-negative / Disappointment url
Dropping out of Law School
- I didn’t accomplish as much as I thought I would.
- So far I haven’t seen much progress.
- I’m batting zero.
- It’s nobody’s fault but my own.
- It’s not going anywhere, so why continue?
- I’m dropping out before it gets any worse.
- With my track record, I don’t think I have much of a choice.
- I’m a bit disappointed in my performance.
- I fully expected that I could have done better than I did.
- I just wasn’t good enough.
- It was just beyond my reach.
- It’s been an unmitigated disaster.
Dropping out of Law School
In-negative / Doubt url
Being told you should convince the company president to change policy
- That’s like the tail wagging the dog.
- That’s not the way to go about doing it.
- I don’t think that will work out so well.
- He won’t go for that.
- It might have just the opposite from the intended effect.
- The effort could boomerang on our heads.
- He might not take it the right way.
- You’ve got to be kidding!
- It’s not worth it.
Being told you should convince the company president to change policy
Out-neutral / Advice url
Move on
- Let it slide, let it go, don’t pay it any mind.
- Don’t give it another thought.
- I’d just not think about it if I were you.
- Make the best of it.
- Make the best of the situation.
- Don’t get bogged down.
- A change of scenery will do you a world of good.
- Don’t cry over spilled milk.
- Don’t pay it any mind.
- Don’t focus on the negative, look at the bright side.
Move on
In-positive / Confidence url
Planning a birthday party for a child
- Don’t worry your little head about it.
- It’s falling into place.
- That’s hardly a problem.
- I have it all figured out.
- All the plans are in place.
- You don’t have to worry about anything.
- You can put all your concerns aside and look forward to something wonderful.
Planning a birthday party for a child
Out-neutral / Negotiating url
I find your viewpoint hard to understand-2
- The two things are as different as night and day.
- What are you getting at?
- You’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.
- I’ve heard that line before.
- Give me a straight answer.
- I think you’re being too narrow minded.
- Do you realize what you’re saying?
- I can’t figure you out.
- How do you explain that?
- Oh yes, didn’t you know that?
- Ah, come on now, you must be kidding.
- Now what do you mean by that?
- Why would I want to do something like that?
- I have bigger fish to fry.
I find your viewpoint hard to understand-2
In-negative / Confusion url
Being a victim of a robbery
- I haven’t the faintest idea what happened.
- OK, now what do I do?
- I don’t know what to say.
- It’s hard to believe.
- I feel totally disoriented.
- I'm shell-shocked.
- What happened is weird, and can’t be explained so easily.
- This really messed up my schedule, but I’ll do what I can to get back to a semblance of normalcy.
- What was that all about?
- Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
- How did that happen?
Being a victim of a robbery