By Johnny Black, Managing Partner
While never intended for this, people have started sharing quotes with me when they come across them. Even more so, some have shared quote boards they’ve stumbled upon in their travels.
My buddy, Steve O’Neil, recently sent me a photo from an auto repair shop. In the waiting area, a chalkboard displayed a dozen different quotes. Two of them really spoke to me:
“Luck = Preparation × Opportunity.”
“Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
Now, I’m going to comment on the latter:
If you know me well, you know I usually own who I am, flaws and all. I’m long-winded. I talk things out. And I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit trying to break my habit of cutting people off mid-sentence. Over time, I’ve come to understand a bit of the psychology behind it. It’s not arrogance or impatience; it’s the fear of forgetting what I want to say before the moment passes.
That understanding doesn’t excuse the behavior, but it does force me to be honest with myself. Maybe that’s why this quote hit me so hard. Heading into 2026, maybe the lesson isn’t about becoming quieter, it’s about becoming more intentional. Maybe growth looks like resisting the urge to fill every silence, to prove a point, or to rush a thought out loud. Maybe it’s about knowing when the best contribution I can make is none at all. Or, put more bluntly, knowing when to just shut up, Johnny.
Because there’s something powerful that happens when you listen a little longer. You learn what someone was actually trying to say, not just what you assumed they were about to say. You give people space to change their minds, to land their own point, or to let the conversation naturally move on. And sometimes, the most important thing you can learn isn’t found in the words you add…but in the ones you choose not to say.