Monday, October 23, 2017

Axiom 99: Listen More, Talk Less



“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” -Stephen R. Covey

"It takes a great man to be a good listener." -Calvin Coolidge


I woke up this morning to an empty house. My wife and daughter are out of town. It was strangely quiet. Today I was going to be working at another one of our stores further away. I got in my car where I had a long drive ahead of me. 

About halfway into my commute I had reached a barren section of road outside of the city. I snapped the photo above and the silence hit me. Sometimes it is better to listen than it is to talk. On today's drive I just sat and listened.

I listened to the radio in the background. I listened to the sounds of the road. I listened to the fleeting thoughts running through my mind. The further I got outside of town the easier it was to just listen.

99 Axioms completed and I realize how important it is to listen. I had so much to say when I started with the very first Axiom. Now it is time for me to do more listening than talking again.