Be patient. Why do we rush to judge, respond and/or react to every thread of a conversation? What drives us to talk rather than listen and observe what is being communicated to us?

Focus to learn from intently observing what others are doing and what they are expressing.

You read a book, largely in silent concentration, so that you can take in what has been written; so that you might process what is being expressed; so that you might connect the reading with your thoughts and emotions. You are open to a learning experience as you read.

I still watch a football game as I formally learned to do as a young coach of the game. I listen to and observe the game itself to learn and to process the planning and the adjustments being made by one team or another to win a contest. As you might guess, I’m told that I am not much fun to watch a game with. My focus is fixed on specific learning rather than socialization or entertainment value.

Might we do the same to learn more as we listen and observe the world around us? A focus to listen for learning, rather than to talk again with another uncensored, unprepared thought.

“A fool is known by his speech; and a wise man by his silence.” — Pythagoras —

MITM