Since I'm going crazy these days with this fixation, I figure I might as well put you in the same boat. When did the word "Actually" become required in every other sentence? We used to have to watch out for "you know" and "like" and "ummm" (and they are still bugaboos that catch poor speakers). But lately, even well-trained professional speakers have started adding "actually" to their speech patterns at an alarming rate. Now that I've pointed it out, start listening for it on television, in interviews, and in public addresses. It will drive you nuts. You tend to hear it less from radio disc jockeys, who are extensively trained to notice and avoid repetition in their speaking.
A focal point for me since I founded Webinar Success is speaker training. It is simply impossible to notice your own bad speech habits. You must have a coach to help identify and work on the little quirks and repetitions you have picked up and your brain filters out. I once sat next to a guy who used the phrase "and stuff like that" as a filler sound at the end of every sentence. He had no idea it was coming out of his mouth, as evidenced by the fact that he used it three times in a single bizarre utterance.
Okay, down from my soapbox. But please, limit your use of "actually." The screams you hear in the background are mine.
