Are you listening?

Far too many times, we don’t listen enough.

We like to talk without hearing what the other person is trying to say. Are you actually hearing them out or just verbally expressing only what’s on your mind? Does the person you’re having a conversation with feel comfortable sharing his or her thoughts? Yes, you have an opinion and response but do you actually let the other person finish speaking first?

Far too many times, I’ve realized that listening is 80% important and speaking is 20%. The outcome is better, results are better, the connection is better. All you have to do is prioritize the listening part.