By: O.L./Sway Buckley
Have you ever been so sure you understood what your wife was saying only to discover you were wrong? Humbling.
Most of us aren't good listeners.
We've learned to speak up and let people know where we stand. We also spend an excessive amount of time in our heads.
In case no one has ever told you, your head is not a good place to spend a lot of time.
If we spend a massive amount of time in our heads, we hear ourselves talk, which becomes the dominant voice and view we know. Therefore, listening to others becomes an obligation of protocol rather than a genuine interest.
There's plenty of training on becoming a better speaker, but how many platforms teach us to become better listeners? We teach kids from young to find their voice and the importance of self-expression.
How often do we teach them to listen critically and seek to understand what others are saying?
It needs to be done more often.
Essentially, we grow up thinking, "The world [needs] our voice," or "You have to find your voice."
To be clear, I'm not saying that learning to express and articulate our views has no merit or place-Im simply saying that the world doesn't revolve around us and our voice. There's a difference between learning to articulate your thoughts and worshiping them.
As a husband, I've learned some painful yet valuable lessons about listening, more importantly, listening to my wife. In other words, not to talk over her and gesture in ways that make her feel like she's not being heard. It's been a long and arduous process of humbling myself in wisdom.
It's possible to be smart and not wise. Smart guys love to hear themselves talk. Wise men understand the power of listening.
If for no other reason, listening helps you understand and know how to respond accurately. All that does is reveal to others you weren't listening. It makes them feel like you may not care to understand them.
Perhaps you've heard the adage, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
As a marriedpreneur, does your wife know how much you care?
If you're a marriedpreneur couple seeking insights on effective listening for building your legacy through business, start with our free Marriepreneur Checklist here.
Here's to living purposefully, powerfully, and profitably in sync,
O.L. & Sway
O.L. is a former banker turned real estate consultant and entrepreneur. Sway is a former CEO of a staffing firm she started on her dorm room floor to pay for college. Together they co-own Marriedpreneur Life Consultancy, equipping faith-based married entrepreneur couples with high-level systems to scale (without strain). They're the creators of the Marriedpreneur Operating Systems and the co-hosts of The Marriedprenuer Life Podcast, which was praised as one of Wedding Wire's top relationship podcasts. Learn more at MarriedpreneurLife.com.