Shhhh. Listen.

I have touched on this previously, but this topic deserves its own post.

One of the most underrated skills, in any context, is listening. Listening skills are imperative to learning, to communication, to empathy, to balance, to growth and to change.

As a musician, I cannot overemphasize how important listening skills are. But I do not think listening skills are any more important in a musical setting. In fact, they are far more important in life settings.

What is my spouse wanting to tell me?
What are my children wanting to tell me?
What is my family wanting to tell me?
What are my friends wanting to tell me?
What do people want to tell me in groups I oversee?
What is there to learn listening to co-workers?

I will never know these things if I do not stop and listen. I will never learn from these people if I do not listen. I will not grow in areas where they can help me if I do not listen. Positive change cannot happen if we do not listen. Communication cannot happen if we do not listen. Empathy cannot happen if we do not listen.

We cannot know everything. Listening to others will help fill in the many many gaps of knowledge and understand we have about others and about the world around us. You learn little when speaking, you learn much when listening.

What I find real interesting... Some of the most profound, life-changing moments in life have been when I stopped talking and actually listened.