Drop the Absolutes

Words like "you always" and "you never" turn one event into a life sentence. The moment someone hears an absolute, they stop listening and start hunting for the one time they proved you wrong. "You never hit deadlines" invites an argument; "the report was late twice this month" invites a fix.

The same trap hides in verdicts on intent — "you don't care," "you're not trying." You cannot actually see intent, so naming it just sounds like an accusation. Stick to what happened and what you need, and leave the absolutes out.