How do we learn? Is it by talking, or listening? It is often said that when you speak you are only repeating ideas that you already know. But when you listen you learn new things that you may have never learned.
You do not have to agree with what you are hearing, only acknowledge that there are ideas and facts that are different from ours. It is the first step in growing.
The mindset that because we learned something once and that is the way it should always be relegates us to the stone age. We should never forget that there was a time when the smartest people on the planet believed that the world is flat. If you get too close to the edge you will fall off. Their minds were closed. Anyone that thought differently was a heretic or a fool.
Our ability to listen and learn helps us be better people. Like a plant that is growing in our yard, new viewpoints establish roots and branches that strengthen us. They increase our presence and make us more powerful.
So next time you find yourself dominating the conversation, imparting your wealth of knowledge to all that will listen. Stop for a minute and let the other person speak. You may learn something new.
As humorist Will Rogers once said: “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
Joe Domino is a Realtor® serving the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Need more information? Or to Search for your next home, visit www.Scottsdale-AZHomes.com
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