Why do you think you have two ears, and only one mouth?

Do you think He wanted you to do all the talking in this world? Or maybe listen twice-as-much as you talk?

Did you ever sit with a group of your friends and notice that everyone tried talking at the same time? It’s like nothing gets through because they’re all too busy talking to hear what anyone else says.

Interesting, isn’t it, when you think about it?

I’m a fairly quiet person. I don’t say much. And when I do say something it’s only because I personally believe that what I have to say is very important.

Because I don’t talk unless I think what I have to say is valuable, I get frustrated when other people interrupt me in the middle of a sentence. And when you’re in a group of people that happens often. Because everyone wants to talk and no one wants to listen.

Why do you suppose that is?

It’s natural for us to want to talk about ourselves. After all we are the most important person in our own life. Why wouldn’t we want to tell all our friends everything about us?

Think about this though: The art of listening (and listening is truly an art) is one of the most valuable skills you can ever develop for your success in life.

Want to know why? GOOD ‘cause I’m gonna tell ya.

When you let other people talk, and you just sit listening, they’ll tell you their whole life story. Now not all of what they say is useful to you, but the fact that you listen to them makes them feel important. And when you make someone feel important they often feel that you’re a fabulous person.

They also think you’re a great conversationalist even if you don’t say a single word.

People are strange that way.

When you know a person’s life story you have a power over that person. And that gives you a big responsibility. You can use that power to hurt him (which certainly would make you a smaller person wouldn’t it?) or you can use that power to help make his life better (which I recommend you do every chance you get).

You see, now you know all his little secrets. You know the things he truly wants, the things he desires in order to be happy. All you have to do is help him get those things when you have the ability. Why you’ll have a friend for life. And that friend will do everything possible to help you find happiness too.

Another thing.

When one of your friends has a bad day, or feels down-in-the-dumps, he really needs someone to talk to. And that someone needs to be a friend who’ll listen. Very often you solve your own problems when you’re able to just talk about them. Having a friend to listen lets you talk yourself into a way to fix the problem.

Listening can teach you too. Let’s say that someone you know has something that could make your life easier, happier, or somehow richer if you had that thing. Maybe having that item is not so important to that person as having something else.

If you tell this person how much you want the item he has then that individual has the power over you. That friend can charge you a higher price than if she or he didn’t know how much you want the item.

Here’s what you do. Get your friend talking about the things he wants. If you just listen, he’ll tell you all his desires. Find out what things are most important to him. Now you have a list of items you can offer as trade for what you want. Decide which of those things is worth giving up. You can usually find something that’s more valuable to him than the item that you want. All you need do is agree on a price that works for both of you.

Everybody gets what she or he wants. Nobody loses. It’s called a win-win solution. And that’s the best way to make any deal turn out.

Everybody is happy.