If no one will hear you...

SPEAKING OR LISTENING: WHAT’S MORE POWERFUL?

Do you believe that those who speak and on whom the spotlight is shone are more powerful than those who listen? So then consider this: Why is it that when the one who speaks the most in a class stands up yet again, the other children groan out loud whereas if a quiet student stands up to speak, all chatter ceases as they wait eagerly for the words to follow?

Speaking without reason is a waste of time and effort.

When you only speak, you are missing out on the chance to hear someone else and hence your life passes by without any intake of information. Particularly with us as young students - our minds are growing, developing and learning every day. I can confidently state that there will come a day in your life when you benefit from the knowledge you gain from others.

Listening is not only a sign of patience and respect for the speaker, it also allows you to see things from a perspective which you would otherwise not have in your rush to continue being heard.

To the ones who argue that speaking is more powerful, what’s the point of speaking if nobody is listening?

On another note, if someone is speaking to you about an incident in their lives, imagine how much better they would feel when they look at you as a sympathetic listener and they wish for nothing more than to gain your understanding. Just imagine the happiness you could bring to someone by simply being there to listen.

Listening is a never ending cycle of knowledge, from listening to your teachers in the classroom to listening to anyone who you think you can learn from. It is rightly said, “Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.”