Listening accomplishes more than Speaking
15 Jun 2024
“To the youngster talking nonsense Zeno said, ‘The reason why we have two ears and only one mouth is so we might listen more and talk less.’”
—DIOGENES LAERTIUS, LIVES OF EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS, 7.1.23
Characteristics of the wise:
- Managing expectations
- Understanding best and worst cases
- Being prepared for the opportune moment
By understanding where you stand, where you could be, and where you can’t be, you are not surprised by things that come your way that are a result of your efforts.
A point that sticks out to me is being prepared for the opportune moment, by identifying the potential opportunities and being prepared for them is an important aspect of being successful (assumes that the opportunity aligns with what you want to be), where luck meets hard work.
Understanding the best and worst cases are also a vital aspect so that you fully understand the possibilities that are present and navigate them accordingly.
Not quite as deep of a reflection as I wanted, but this will do for today.