Shut up and listen – you might learn something.
I won’t lie. I’m not shy, I talk a lot, and I enjoy contributing to conversations and debates. However, sometimes (read: often) I need to give myself a slap upside the head to shut up and listen.
Why? I already know everything I’m going to say. There’s nothing I can talk about that I don’t already know. For the time my mouth is engaged, my brain learns nothing.
On the other hand, if I shut up and listen, I might learn something new.
The Greek philosopher Epictetus said “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” š
Love it, Stephane! Those darn Greek philosophers always think of the good stuff š
Love it! I’d say more about the post, but then I would not be listening.
Michelle, I disagree with you. So many times I’ve talked through things and fought myself something new. Yes, listening is really important. I’d even say silence and clearing the mind to be equally as important. However, some of my greatest discoveries have come while talking and exploring thoughts with others. Just my 2 cents.
Keith
Keith – I absolutely agree with you. Talking and exploring thoughts with others can be invaluable, and help you get to the conclusions that you were struggling with. I myself am a huge talking-through-things kind of person. However, if you do all the talking, and fail to listen to those valuable others, you’ll get little out of the exercise.