The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech. -Edwin Friedman
This is something I learned long ago…. the hard way…
I watch people doing this all the time and it frustrates me. They talk and talk and talk to a deaf audience that has no interest in listening to them. They are wasting their breath…
The sages of old knew that words were of little value. To this day the cliche stands true that actions speak louder than words… They taught their lessons to their pupils through life lessons and experiences. They knew that before they could teach anything they needed to prepare the student…
Before the clay could be molded it first needed to be softened. It had to be made pliable. Then it could be worked with. No one can work with hard clay or too soft of clay for that matter.
Too hard and you can’t shape it, too soft and it doesn’t hold it’s form long enough. Only after you make the clay workable and shape it, can you fire and harden it, and use it for a purpose.
Here at insight writer I can only give you what I have learned. I can apply object lessons and analogies, stories and statistics, but you have to make the decision and the effort to change for the better. To allow yourself to be molded into whatever good purpose you can imagine.
No amount of insight can help you until you are ready to help you.
So just think about that for awhile, and allow this idea to settle into your mind. It will be good to have this perspective for the long haul….
I hate it when I’m talking to people, trying to help them, tell them of my experiences in the matter and even though they listen, they don’t really “hear” what I’m saying.
I finished my MBA just a few weeks back and found you on 50 personal development bloggers list. I had one blog during bschool, but insight made me realize, that personal development was my area of interest and so I just started writing and after 3 weeks seem to have quite a bit of content.
Srinivas Rao’s last blog post..How the ego gets in the way of learning
Hi Srinivas,
It looks like you have a great blog! Keep up the good work. Good to see a fellow bschooler doing a personal development blog!
Cheers,
Jeremy
It’s interesting too that sometimes insight just doesn’t take. That is, a person can intellectualize and, despite being genuinely insightful, fail to really internalize it so that no real change or growth takes place.
Hey there… hope you’ve been well!
Cheers for this comment:
“No amount of insight can help you until you are ready to help you.”
Ross’s last blog post..Does integrity count for anything?
People listen more intently to a soft voice. Speaking louder may make your voice heard but it does not make people listen…
“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” ~ Michel de Montaigne
Kent @ The Financial Philosopher’s last blog post..What would Thoreau think of Twitter?
Hi guys,
Thank you for the comments! I am happy to know people are still following my blog even though I have not been posting much for awhile.
@ JLF – You make a great point! I do that all the time. Maybe with enough reminders I will get it through my head to just follow my heart!
@ Ross – Glad to see you here. I have been well. Hope you have been well too!
@ Kent – Thanks for the quote! You always find ones perfect for the situation!
Cheers,
Jeremy