Listening and Watching Doesn’t Cost You A Dime, But Makes You More Efficient

How you take advantage of and control two very powerful tools at your disposal

Photo by Eric Mok on Unsplash

The other night we met new friends and ended up talking past midnight. As usual, I rather enjoy listening than talking. That way I get to hear fascinating stories, educational insights, and helpful information.

If you sit with a gang of international people, who do and have done fascinating stuff in their lives you sit in a treasure trove of experiences, insights, and different perspectives on life and work.

Sparks start flying in your head.

And you value the virtue of listening. Because you don’t want to miss out on all of the above. You realize how listening makes your daily life richer and more effective.

Listening also gives you a lot of clues, helpful information, and understanding for the people you are dealing with, if it is on a business, work or personal level.

Listening Is an Allrounder Skill

If you are leading people, raising children, or moving an audience — listening helps to get a sense of who they are so you can draw out the best in them, and you can encourage and inspire them. The only way to figure this out is by listening and watching.

Listening and observing. Two very easy activities, so it seems. And it doesn’t even cost anything. Except, it actually costs you two things: your time and your patience.

Many if not most people don’t use their eyes and ears effectively. Always in a hurry, trying to save time they fail to listen with intention and to be very observant.

As a result, they miss half the stuff that is going on around them.

Whether your path is right or wrong is decided by the little things. Life consists of a string of little things. Seemingly insignificant coincidences often trigger big effects.

One wrong word can trigger an avalanche of bad reactions. Therefore, it is much better to speak a little and to listen a lot.

Listening Is Like A Lifelong Free Education