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June    15th

LISTENING   ACCOMPLISHES    MORE    THAN    SPEAKING

“To the youngster   talking nonsense    Zeno    said,   ‘The    reason  why we  have    two ears    and only    one

mouth   is  so  we  might   listen  more    and talk    less.’”

—DIOGENES   LAERTIUS,   LIVES   OF  EMINENT PHILOSOPHERS,   7.1.23

hy do the wise have so few problems compared with the rest of us? There are a few simple
reasons.
First, the wise seem to manage expectations as much as possible. They rarely expect what isn’t
possible in the first place.
Second, the wise always consider both the best and worst case scenarios. They don’t just think about
what they wish to happen, but also what very realistically can happen if things were to suddenly turn.
Third, the wise act with a reverse clause—meaning that they not only consider what might go wrong,
but they are prepared for that to be exactly what they want to happen—it is an opportunity for excellence
and virtue.
And if you follow it today, you too will find that nothing surprises you or happens contrary to your
expectations.