Learn to listen more than you talk.

When I was young, I remember hearing a lot of the old timers here in the hills of Central Appalachia say “Shut yer mouth and open yer ears!” It wasn’t like I was overly talkative or anything. It was just they knew all too well that you can’t learn anything if you’re running your mouth. Now, I’m not advocating that you become a wallflower and slink into the corner. Not by a long shot! What I am saying is take in as much information as you can before you give any of your own. Abraham Lincoln famously paraphrased a verse from Proverbs when he said “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” That is a funny little quip, but there is much truth in it. If we collect all the information that we can, reasonably speaking, before making a decision, we will be much more likely to make the best one for our current situation. Shooting off at the mouth and showing all of your cards before it’s time will lead to nothing in the long run. So, clam it up and listen!