Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 27 seconds
You don’t grow wiser by talking more.
You grow wiser by paying closer attention.
Listening well is an act of humility and a gift to everyone involved.
Let’s check out today’s Wisdom Made Easy visual:
This image reminds us of a simple truth: we have two ears and one mouth, but we often use them in the opposite ratio.
The imbalance is subtle but powerful. When we rush to respond, interrupt, or mentally rehearse our next point, we miss what’s actually being said. Wisdom often arrives quietly and only if we’re still enough to hear it.
Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.
This captures the heart of the issue.
Listening isn’t about waiting for your turn to speak.
It’s about creating space for understanding to emerge.
One of the biggest takeaways from my recent coaching qualification has been just how transformative true listening can be.
Not fixing.
Not advising.
Not jumping in with a story of your own.
Just listening.
When someone feels genuinely heard, clarity often follows - without you needing to say much at all. And yet, listening well is harder than it looks. It requires patience, restraint, and presence.
Here are three practical ways to become a better listener:
Listen to understand, not to respond.
Notice when your mind starts preparing a reply while the other person is still speaking.
Gently bring your attention back to them.
Make space to understand them before replying.
Ask clarifying questions instead of giving advice.
Questions like “Can you say more about that?” or “What did that feel like for you?” deepen the conversation and signal genuine care.
Advice is rarely as helpful as being truly heard.
Embrace silence.
Silence can feel uncomfortable but it’s often where the most meaningful insights surface.
Give people time to think, reflect, and finish their thoughts fully.
You don’t need to fill every gap.
Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:
Do I listen to understand, or to reply?
Who in my life might feel more supported if I listened better?
What would change if I slowed down and created more space for silence?
Today’s resource is a TED Talk titled: 5 Ways to Listen Better.
In this talk, Julian Treasure makes a compelling case that listening is a skill, and like any skill, it can be practiced and improved.
He explores why we’re losing our ability to truly listen in a noisy, distracted world, and offers simple, practical habits to rebuild it.
If you want to become more present in conversations, deepen your relationships, and understand others more clearly, this is a powerful place to start.
Get wiser with Julian here:
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Catch you in the next issue!
Thanks,
Michael