In conversation I sometimes notice how much I talk, and evidence exists of this verbal tendency. My brother Mike once told me at a meeting, “Shh, you’ll learn more from listening than by talking.”
Then there’s the guideline from ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus, which I don’t always follow. “We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
And, I started a master’s thesis themed on the therapeutic value of silence. I later chose another topic because the academic study of silence didn’t help me hush.
I have been either blessed or cursed with an ability to speak that often feels to me, and did to both of my introverted parents, like “too much.”
Here’s my latest Forecaster column. Read the rest on The Forecaster. Enjoy!
