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I don't know if there's any accuracy to this (bullshit-o-meter reading: moderate), but I've always thought that speaking before you think is a matter of impulse control. So really the question your asking isn't 'how do I keep my mouth shut' but rather 'how do I control my impulses better?'
It really comes down to deliberation. Always give yourself a moment or two to consider before speaking. Consider the angles, think about if what you're about to say is really the best way to express your thought or idea, consider it's overall importance to the issue at hand. Weigh the potential consequences of speaking against the potential consequences of not speaking. Is it that important to be right or be the guy who has the answer? Is what your saying really adding something of value to the discussion?
This is harder to do in real life than it is online, where you have as long as you need to review your words, but it can be done. Maybe you'll be a bit quieter, a bit slower to speak, but if your words carry more weight it all balances out in the end.
Courteous. Deliberate. Soft spoken. These are the traits that I strive for. I don't always succeed, but it's the endeavour that matters, I think.
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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said
- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame
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