Tip 39, for 7/26/08

I wrote this post last night and I changed my mind and decided to do the one I did instead of this one. I copied this one to my clipboard and forgot to make a new post with it. Here it be (I think it was better written last night):

Listening. Please note that Listening is not listening. The italics are of the utmost importance. Listening is a skill, listening is not. Listening is when you process and consider the information. Listening is when you listen to the words and little else.

In certain circumstances, changing listening into listening is a simple exercise in focus. In others, it simply cannot be done. I, for one, struggle with listening while on the phone. Don't get me wrong, I'm a good phone listener, but I struggle often to listen while on the phone. I can hear the words, but I don't really consider their meaning until later, if I remember them, which I usually don't because I was listening, not listening.

If you are conscious of it, you may or may not find yourself slipping into listening. This is a slippery slope. In everyday conversations, in school and at work, listening is a useful skill, particularly as listening won't help you learn or get anything done.

Be sure to practice listening rather than listening, you don't want to practice bad habits. Be conscious of how well you can recall and how much processing you have done of information.

The same principal applies to reading and reading. For example, I used to read magic cards when I played. I found that at a certain point, I simply couldn't do it anymore. I could read them fine, I just couldn't actually process and put into context the text of a given card.

Focusing is much more difficult for your brain than not focusing. This is a skill that needs to be practiced and honed. Use it or lose it, keep your mind sharp, it has long term benefits.