Moving from "know how" to "do now"

On page 163 of _Everyone Communicates, Few Connect_, Maxwell discusses the communication style of his inherited COO who was a career navy man. His COO subscribed to the armed services perspective on communication:

1^st Draft: A word to the wise is sufficient

2^nd Draft: A word to the wise may be sufficient.

3^rd Draft: It is believed that a word to the wise may be sufficient

…

5^th Draft: Indications are that is believed by some that a word to the wise may be sufficient under some conditions…

I often fall into this trap in my writing.