How Do you Hear? Part 2

It is important to know your values and biases will influence hearing. The challenge is in making sure we are conscious of when they could be creating a blind spot in our thinking. How do we ensure this? These 3 steps:

Observe

Observing is detecting the issues, the opinions being expressed and evidence offered to support those opinions. Observe your feelings and thoughts in situations, around people and watching the news. I believe Americans are becoming more obtuse and the price paid is the polarization of people we see during elections. Thinking is being done for those who don’t stop to observe.

Journal your observations

Leonardo da Vinci kept a journal. He recorded observations, made notes and plans. His life of observation allowed him to become the personification and definition of Renaissance Man. One idea is to write observations on the left and write your thoughts about those observations

Address relevant questions

For instance, when we meet someone for the first time we all generally get a feeling about a person. Next time this happens to you, ask yourself “why did I feel this way before really knowing the person?” Write the answer down. Start asking yourself why & what for everything you observe? Why is your favorite color your favorite color? Why do you like the music you like? What are it’s characteristics. For most of us, we are drawn to things, people and situations that remind of us happy memories. We can then get blinded assuming they will always make us happy. When they don’t we are confused.

If you don’t like keeping a journal, I do suggest do all of above for only a month. The idea is to train your mind to think deeper than the whims of feelings and thoughts that pop into our minds. You’ll begin to see your mental habits on paper and can begin to break those bad habits then start creating new ones. Don’t just accept everything you hear and the feelings that come with it. Challenge your thoughts and ideas and dare to change your mind.