What's a quote that has stuck with you for your whole life?

zinklog@lemmy.fmhy.ml to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 609 points –

I always loved browsing such posts on reddit, so thought I should make one on lemmy too

Edit: Usually these kind of posts only used to have excerpts from books or ancient proverbs, but now I am seeing a lot more quotes from shows/movies/games are also resonating with people. It's pretty cool to see.

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@zinklog

Listen

There is only one way to make people talk more than they care to. Listen. Listen with hungry earnest attention to every word. In the intensity of your attention, make little nods of agreement, little sounds of approval. You can’t fake it. You have to really listen. In a posture of gratitude. And it is such a rare and startling experience for them, such a boon to ego, such a gratification of self, to find a genuine listener, that they want to prolong the experience. And the only way to do that is to keep talking. A good listener is far more rare than an adequate lover.

-Travis McGee
from Nightmare in Pink
by John D. McDonald

This is a quote I’ll try to remember, and will probably forget by the time I get into a conversation.

Really? Why do you think that? Is it something you struggle with? Are there situations in your memory where you think it is especially applicable?

It’s just something I need to get much better at. I’ve come pretty far from where I used to be, but being a good listener is something I still struggle with sometimes.

I see. What steps do you think you could take? How can you tell you struggle with it - have people mentioned it?

Well, the only thing you can really do is identify the behavior and self-correct. As for whether or not people have mentioned it…yeah, they have in the past.

And also, are you picking up on what irmoz and I are doing? Take notes!