One pair of ears draws dry a hundred tongues.

George Herbert, “Proverbs” in The Complete English Works, 272.

This saying points out that the ratio of listeners to talkers is wildly disproportionate.

And it’s accurate. Most people like to talk far more than they like to listen. And their favorite subject is themselves.

So if you want to “be weird in the best ways possible”–work to develop as a listener. Work to ask questions, showing interest in the other person far more than yourself.

Perhaps you’re already a listener. Maybe you’ve noticed that people like to talk to you. If you find it a bit interesting that people share vulnerable things with you, seek you out, and ask your advice–chances are you are already a pretty good listener. People intuitively sense that you can be trusted, that you won’t interrupt, that you’ll ask careful questions, and won’t rush give simplistic answers to complicated problems.

Very wise. Keep up the good work.