Are You Hearing or Listening? Open Your Ears Not Your Mouth
Are You Hearing or Listening? Open Your Ears Not Your Mouth
ByThere are times in a conversation when it’s no longer a dialogue, it becomes a monologue. I can’t help but scratch my head at the irony here because a conversation where every man is for himself defeats the purpose of a conversation period.
Do you find yourself engaging in discussions where you’re just itching at the next opportunity to speak your mind in the hope of getting your point across? This is a very easy thing to do, I raise my hand high on that one.
It’s so easy to get in our own heads and focus on our own thought that we totally neglect the words and thoughts of the other has to say. There words just go right over our head — in one ear and out the other.
Next time you find yourself engaging in dialogue, take a step back and listen to what the other person is saying. Evaluate the point that is coming across. Open your ears not your mouth. It’s one thing to hear words and ideas but another thing to actually listen to what is being said.
You see, when you hear someone, you get a general idea of what is being said but you just might miss the true essence of the message. When you listen, you quiet the self-dialogue that goes on in your head and you dissect what is being said. You take the message for it’s exact meaning.
I’ll never forget the countless times when I was younger and was given specific instructions on how to do a critical homework assignment. To often I was in my own head. I was too busy focused on the questions arising in my head. Meanwhile, those very questions were being answered, I just wasn’t listening.
There are many times where you may find yourself in this predicament.
Make a point to listen to the message that’s being portrayed. Sometimes this can be a hard thing to execute, especially when you have a very key point that you want to get across. But often times, the greater reward is in extending yourself out to the other person.
Once you get the message, piggy back on what was said. Ask questions to make sure you’ve got a clear understanding. Then followup with your point. You will be surprised at the number of disagreements that can be avoided once you exercise this.
Whether you’re in a casual friendly conversation or in class taking in critical instructions, tune into the essence of what is being said. Dissect the message that is coming forth. When you do this you will make a greater difference in your life and the life of someone else today as you charge forth on your journey of life!
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Author: Jarrod Clark (479 Articles)
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Jarrod Clark, author and founder of OptimisticJourney.com and my goal for this blog is to provide inspirational messages for maintaining an optimistic outlook on life. To find out more about me, check out the About Jarrod tab at the top of the page and if you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me! Thanks!
It has been said that “the greatest gift we can give another person is the purity of our attention.” Thank you for reminding us of the importance of listening.
Hi Dr. Paul,
I love that saying and it is so true. Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Have a nice day.
Hi Jarrod,
How are you?
I’ve also heard, ‘God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason…’ We should listen twice as much as speaking
Still… it’s not uncommon to want to jump into a conversation and contribute our two cents. Speaking of which, it would be nice to hear your two cents some time in the near future and catch up.
Have a blessed weekend,
Kim
Hey Jarrod, interesting points here. It helps to build rapport when people actually listen to each other and what they have to say before interrupting. Listening also helps to make us more aware of the situation so we are not lost in mind chatter. Thanks for this post!
Jarrod: I couldn’t agree more. So often we get caught up in our own head and preoccupied with our own thoughts that we forget we are supposed to be engaging in a conversation and really listening. For me, what has helped is really trying to always focus on what the other person is saying…each word and each thought. When I drift off into my own thoughts, I try and catch myself and remind myself that I should be paying attention and participating with what is currently in front of me. It is great practice to always stay focused and engaged in the present moment and there is nothing more important than that. Great article.
I love that quote! There is no coincidence that we’ve got one mouth and two ears. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing. Have a great weekend!
Thanks for stopping by Hulbert and sharing! Have a great weekend!
Hi Sibyl,
Thanks for the sound advice here. You’re right it does help to focus on each word and thought of what the other person is saying. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a great day!