I’d like to do something

The usual grammarian complaint about using “like” is that people confuse the word with “as.”

I’m going to make different complaint about using “like.” People shouldn’t say “I’d like to…” when they should actually say what they want to do.

I’d like to thank you so much for the wonderful birthday present.

I’d like to offer my condolences.

I’d like to congratulate the whole team for the completion of this project under budget and before deadline.

Bleh. Just say it!

Thank you so much for the wonderful birthday present!

Please accept my condolences.

Congratulations, team, for completing this project under budget and before deadline!

See how much more intimate and more direct it is to say what you mean?  So don’t say you’d like to do something unless you’re actually prevented from doing it, as in “I’d like to pull you out of the quicksand, but I can’t reach you.” Or something like this: