Listen More Than You Speak
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker’s weekly dive into the pool of stoic wisdom and how you can use its waters to meditate and improve your life.
The choice this week belongs to Zeno of Cytus , a Greek philosopher and founder of the Stoic school of thought. He taught in Athens from 300 BC. E. Before his death in 262 BC. E.
“We have two ears and one mouth, so we have to listen more than we speak.”
Zeno of Citium
Unfortunately, it is difficult to say where this quote of him came from. None of his physical writings have survived, and such quotes exist only because they were preserved by other philosophers later.
What does it mean
For the most part, Stoicism is based on the idea of living a virtuous life in accordance with nature or the universe. Zeno, seeing that humans have two ears and only one mouth, suggests that there is a natural reason for this. He believes that we should always listen twice as much as we speak.
What to take from there
Active listening – like focused listening, not just listening – will always benefit you. Whether you’re hoping to convince someone , show sympathy, or win an argument , listening is key. It provides you with vital information, makes you look trustworthy and respectful, and can keep you out of trouble.
When you speak, only say what you know is worth saying . In the end, Zeno also said:
“Better to stumble with your feet than with your tongue.”
zeno from cityium
Life is full of questions, but if you learn to listen well, you can almost always hear the answers.