I'm a talker. I'm the guy in any room that will share his opinion in a discussion. Not because I want be heard, but because I believe I have something to add to that discussion. On the contrary, when I don't have something to say or I'm in an environment of learning I tend to listen; but if I'm in an environment where I believe I know what is being discussed I will share my thoughts. I say this to say I'm well aware of my limitations; so when you read this blog post know that I'm not only speaking to you reading, I'm also speaking to myself.

Having said that, it's important to learn to listen more than speak. There are more proverbs and expressions about the great value of silence over being right. There's something innate about being right and receiving affirmation from others that you're right. How else can they know you're right if you don't speak up? That's typically what we tell ourselves to justify speaking in all avenues; but what if what you have to say is inaccurate and you've said it with so much pride that your stupidity becomes a thing of shame for you? Not to say it's not alright to be wrong, but to say be cautious of how you appear to be right.

What we all are looking for is respect. We want to be respected for our knowledge, our resources, our abilities and our skills. We want others to know us for who we are, we we've worked hard to become and where we still believe we are going. And so to steer their thoughts in the direction we want, we engage in what some call verbal diarrhea (a non-stop speech impediment for no apparent reason); as we all know diarrhea is quite unflattering, so also is the verbal kind. In essence, do your best to restrict your words when unnecessary, there's a quote that says "an empty barrel makes the most noise", don't let others perceive you as such. Best wishes, L.B

#Life