The Art of Choosing What to Listen

People say listening is a good exercise. Sure it is, it makes you think, gives a vent to your imagination, improves creativity and opens new doors. In fact we can only talk if we listen and we cannot write without listening either. Listening helps us in better elucidations, it brings up the pent up feelings and often lets us know who we are and what to do with our skills. If we allow ourselves to listen, we allow ourselves to grow, to improve and to innovate. So, it is important that we listen more than we talk and important that we let the knowledge flow in for it to flow out.

I wonder therefore how important and urgent it is to decide what to listen. Since listening is an ability that allows us to learn, it is also something which deeply influences us. So, the right learning can come from the right listening and hence it is required for us to meticulously judge what we must allow ourselves to listen. There are a lot of things happening around us every day and a lot of people talking all the time. We need to select whom to be with and whom to listen to. Some people are sadists and gloomy, they infect us with sorrows. Whether or not we are aware of it we keep falling prey to such negativity when we are surrounded by such people. It is true that we tend to be like the company we have. Same with what we chose to listen. There are people who belittle us, who keep telling us that certain things are not achievable. They are short-sighted, meek, afraid to grow, reluctant to accept change and spend their whole lives in their comfort zones, terrified to explore possibilities because they fear to fail. Such people can only denigrate our confidence and create self doubt. If we need to grow we need to figure out who to be with and what to learn. I am not saying that only being in the right company can help, it is about finding positivity. Reading a good book is like listening to the author speaking to you through his writings. Watching a motivational video or speech is like learning about new dimensions. I believe setting the right environment actually helps us grow. So, it is essential that we create a healthy atmosphere to exchange rational thoughts, views and ideas that bring positivity.

One of my senior colleagues was accused by some of her peers for not being such a good listener but I knew she was doing great and was one of the top performers in her team. Surprised I asked her if that allegation was even true. To that she smiled and said, "Oh dear! I am good at listening but it only depends on who is talking!” I agree that was a bold statement but then she is a strong lady already achieved more than her peers and doing a lot better to climb the ladders of her career. The entire day happens to be a cacophony of talks but if only we can trace the right ones, keep aside the gossips, follow our heart and chose what we want to listen, I believe the beautiful difference can be made.