Quotes About Understanding

I fail to see why you did not understand that groceryman, he did not call it "ground ground nuts," he called it "ground ground-nuts" which is the only really SENSible thing to call it. Peanuts grow in the GROUND and are therefore GROUND-nuts, and after you take them out of the ground you grind them up and you have ground ground-nuts, which is a much more accurate name than peanut butter, you just don't understand English.

Re America & the UK] we are two countries divided by a common language

Tell me," said Leo. "You've written a beautiful book. Why haven't we heard from you before? What was wrong with your earlier work? Too good or not good enough." "Not good enough," I said. And he nodded and went on to something else, and I think that's when we became soul mates.

The things I agree to with a little gin in me.

Re America & Britain] we are two countries divided by a common language

The most charismatic leaders don't seem to be as concerned with the material they're presenting as they are with getting to know their audiences.

Executive coach Alan Allard told me, "Listening shows respect, even if you don't agree with what the person is saying.

Confidence spark One of the best ways to listen to someone is to tune in to the sound of his voice. He may be saying one thing but meaning something else. Focus on the quality of his tone—does he sound stressed or confident? What do you know about him that can help you figure out what he is really saying? If thoughts come up that distract you, just keep focusing on his voice to heighten your awareness of his real motivation and mental state.

Awareness is key, and we need to apply our best judgment and intuition to each situation.

The moral of the story: don't react, especially when you are hungry and tired! Process the feedback at a time when you can take an honest look at what is being said.

Confidence spark Try this the next time you receive feedback and find yourself getting defensive. Take a few deep breaths and repeat back what has been said to show that you have understood. Doing this will give you a little distance from reacting in a way you might regret. Later on you can reflect on what fits and what doesn't. If you need support, get input from a trusted colleague.

We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.

Tell me how much you know of the sufferings of your fellow man and I will tell you how much you have loved them.

The greater part of historical and natural phenomena are not simple, or not simple in the way we would like. —PRIMO LEVI

Can you continue to love a person regardless of such shortcomings? Maybe because you hope to save them? Or because you can't help it? Isn't that what love is all about?

What differentiates us from animals is the fact that we can listen to other people's dreams, fears, joys, sorrows, desires and defeats - and they in turn can listen to ours.

Many people make the mistake of confusing information with knowledge. They are not the same thing. Knowledge involves the interpretation of information. Knowledge involves listening.

You think you know everything about a person, but the truth often comes as a surprise.

Not having time for a person, not being able to sit in silence together with somebody, that's the same as rejecting them, as being scornful about them.

Every secret we confide in another person can be a burden to them

Truth is simple. They who say that truth is complicated deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them.

To understand life, and love it to its depths in a living being, that is the being's task, and that his masterpiece; and each of us can hardly occupy his time so greatly as with one other; we have only one true neighbor down here.

I had seen the struggle to love and make one's self understood, the refusal of two persons in conversation to give themselves to each other, the coming together of two lovers, the lovers with an infectious smile, who are lovers in name only, who bury themselves in kisses, who press wound to wound to cure themselves, between whom there is really no attachment, and who, in spite of their ecstasy deriving light from shadow, are strangers as much as the sun and the moon are strangers.

An absolute can only be given in an intuition, while all the rest has to do with analysis.