A wise man knows when to be silent,
and just as important, when to take action.
Bohdi Sanders
I am sure that you have heard people say that it is the quiet guy that you need to worry about, not the blowhard who is bragging about how tough he is. This is true. Those who have the ability, and have “been there and done that,” rarely care about sitting around bragging about it. They may tell a story now and then, but for the most part, they are quiet men.
Those who haven’t been there and done that, but wish they have, are usually the ones who are constantly bragging about how tough they are, in a vain attempt to convince everyone that they are a dangerous man. These guys are always dropping names to try to impress you and telling tales of how they did amazing, almost supernatural feats. Don’t believe them! They are simply blowhards begging for attention.
The wise man knows how to be silent. In fact, he is silent the majority of the time, especially when it comes to what he can and cannot do. He understands that he should not give any useful information away to those around him who may not be his friends. He also understands that there is more to be gained from being silent and listening, than from talking.
When you listen instead of constantly talking, you learn more than you can imagine. People like to talk, and once they get started, many people share a lot more information than they should. The wise man listens silently and files away the information that he learns for future use. The fool constantly babbles and gives away all of his secrets; the wise man listens and learns his secrets.
Moreover, the wise man also knows when to take action. There is a time for sitting quietly and listening, and a time for taking action. If you are constantly babbling, you miss many things that the silent man observes. Thus the silent man is more likely to be the one who knows when action is necessary. In fact, he may jump up and take out a threat while the fool is still talking about how bad he is.
If silence doesn’t come natural for you, practice it. You will find that silence is much more valuable, and allows you to be more aware of your surroundings. Know when to be silent and when to take action. It is the way of the warrior.
