When was the last time you just listened to someone?

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on FEB 14, 2023

When was the last time you just listened to someone?

 

Sometimes it’s good to just shut up and listen….. When was the last time you just listened to someone? I’m talking about just taking in the words that are being said, and allowing it to settle into your mind….. Forget about a response.

A good listener, listens slowly to what is being said, doesn’t jump ahead and rush to judge, formulating their own reply, instead they just focus directly on what is being said.

As students and instructors, of the martial arts, you have listen to more than is being said, extract the maximum information from what you hear by looking between the words used and wondering why something has been expressed in a particular way. This is active listening.

Communication can be transferred in many ways, thoughts can be transferred by words, with expressions and body language. And it all depends on your intention with how you are listening. You are either listening to understand, or usually you listen to move to the next point, to reply, and move forward without really understanding the subject.

It has become the trend to win a conversation without realizing what actually is being conveyed. People think of only winning the argument, of only leading the race of becoming the person with the most important fact. And people then complain about not understanding, or being understood.

When people talk, especially an instructor, listen completely. Don’t think about what you’re going to say. Most people never listen intently. Nor do they observe. And this is hugely important when learning a drill, principle or kata.

Hearing and listening are not the same. You hear music, the sound of rainfall, or the sound of a dog barking. Listening, on the other hand, requires attention, comprehension of the message that’s being relayed, and recollection of what’s been said.

Regardless of how many years you’ve been practicing and teaching the martial arts, the one thing that remains consistent is the absolute need for continuous learning.

It is essential that if you are expecting others to maintain a growth mindset and exhibit characteristics of continuous learning, then you, as instructors and teachers have a moral obligation to be what we expect.

If you’re an instructor already, then hopefully you have the necessary skills to be teaching martial arts. The problem is that many instructors feel that once they’re qualified to teach, the learning ends. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! Even if you’re qualified you must continue practicing. The best teachers are the ones who always want to keep learning, more so that they can impart that wisdom to their students.

If you as an instructor, a teacher, and have the opportunity to learn from someone, no matter what style or method they follow or practice, then DO it.

Listen to others with an open mind, and seek knowledge from everyone, including those both above and below you.

What do you have to lose? Listen and learn, seek knowledge from those all around you. There’s no harm in showing a person respect by genuinely listening to them, and if after listening you decide their words are of no value, simply agree to disagree and move on.

You’ll find that every once in a while, you’ll learn something amazingly brilliant or eye-opening from the most unexpected source. That my friends is a wonderful thing.