You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time
— M. Scott Peck
The cone of silence
Spend one day trying to say as little as possible.
Try to keep the focus away from yourself.
When you’re tempted to gossip, or tell a story, ask a question instead.
When you’re tempted to say “That’s what happened to me!…”, ask instead “How did that make you feel?”.
Try (within reason) to bring each conversation back to the other person’s opinion, and listen to what they have to tell you.
At the end of the day, make a note of how much you have learned. About other people. About life. About yourself.
How much of this would you have missed if you had spent that time talking about yourself?
“Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom.”
— Chip Bell
