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When was the last time you truly felt heard? Not just acknowledged, but deeply understood?
Active listening is one of the most powerful skills you can develop for better relationships, leadership, and personal growth. In this episode of Recounting Life Lessons, Alana introduces the 7 P's of Listening, a framework designed to help overwhelmed achievers transform their conversations and make a greater impact.
If you've ever struggled with distractions, misunderstandings, or feeling unheard in conversations, this episode will give you practical strategies to change that. Whether you're a business owner, leader, or simply someone who wants to connect on a deeper level, this episode will empower you with the tools you need.
But before you dive in, let's explore how the art of listening applies beyond communication. The ability to truly hear and understand others isn't just about conversations—it's a game-changer in every area of life.
Listen now and learn how to improve your listening skills!
the hidden key to success: 5 life-changing skills you'll learn from active listening
Active listening isn't just about being a good conversationalist. It's a skill that impacts your personal growth, leadership, and success. Here are five fundamental principles behind great listening that can help you thrive in business, relationships, and life:
- Be Present: The Secret to Meaningful Connections The ability to be fully present is a rare skill in today's fast-paced world. When you actively listen, you're not just waiting for your turn to speak-you're engaged, mindful, and intentional. This same principle applies to productivity, mindfulness, and even achieving your goals. Success starts with showing up fully in every moment. Try this: In your next conversation, silence your inner dialogue and focus entirely on the speaker. Watch how the quality of the conversation changes.
- Cultivate Empathy: Build Stronger Relationships & Influence Great leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers have one thing in common: they listen with empathy. When you understand others on a deeper level, you create trust, loyalty, and influence. Empathy also fuels problem-solving, innovation, and personal growth. Try this: The next time you're in a conversation, ask yourself: "What's the emotion behind their words?" Respond with understanding, not just answers.
- Embrace Patience: The Missing Ingredient for Success Rushing to respond or react often leads to miscommunication and missed opportunities. Whether in conversations, business decisions, or personal growth, patience allows you to see the bigger picture and make wiser choices. Try this: Before reacting in a conversation, take a deep breath and pause. See how this changes your response.
- Ask Better Questions: The Key to Unlocking New Opportunities The best listeners don't just hear; they ask powerful questions that lead to clarity, innovation, and deeper understanding. Whether you're in business or personal relationships, the quality of your questions determines the quality of your results. Try this: Instead of giving advice right away, ask, "What do you think would be the best approach?" and watch how it shifts the conversation.
- Reflect & Recap: The Shortcut tot Mastery Just like reviewing notes helps you retain knowledge, summarizing a conversation helps you truly absorb what was said. This practice improves your memory, builds trust, and ensures you don't miss important details. Try this: At the end of a conversation, recap key points by saying, "So what I'm hearing is..." This small action makes a big difference in clarity and connection.
These principles apply far beyond conversations—they are foundational for becoming a better leader, problem-solver, and communicator. Master them and you'll see improvements in your career, relationships, and overall success. Now, let's dive into the 7 P's of Listening from the episode and how you can start using them today!
More ways to listen:
the 7 p's of listening
- Presence: Show up fully and eliminate distractions to give your full attention.
- Preparation: Set the intention to listen before entering a conversation.
- Patience: Resist the urge to interrupt or rush responses.
- Politeness: Maintain respect, even in difficult conversations.
- Positivity: Approach listening with an open mind and a solution-focused mindset.
- Perception: Pay attention to non-verbal cues and what's being left unsaid.
- Post-Reflection: Take time to process what was shared and how you can respond with intention.
We speak to be understood, we don't listen to be understood. We listen to understand.
For an in-depth exploration of these takeaways and more, be sure to listen to the full episode below.
Tips for applying these takeaways:
Want to apply these insights to your life? Here are some actionable steps you can take today:
- Start with One Conversation Per Day: Choose one conversation where you'll practice full presence—no distractions, no interruptions.
- Use the "Pause & Recap" Method: Before responding, pause and summarize what the other person said. This ensures clarity and shows you value their words.
- Practice Active Listening in Difficult Conversations: The next time a discussion feels tense, focus on understanding first, responding second.
- Turn Off Distractions: When talking to someone important, put your phone on silent and make eye contact.
- Challenge Yourself to Ask One Thoughtful Question: Instead of responding immediately, ask "Can you tell me more about that?" and watch how it deepens the conversation.
Listen now to start increasing your impact by improving the way you listen to others!
final thoughts: The Ripple Effect of Better Listening
Listing isn't just a skill—it's a secret weapon that transforms how we connect, lead, and grow. By mastering the 7 P.s of Listening, you're not only improving your communication but also cultivating deeper relationships, better leadership, and a greater impact on the world. And remember, every great conversation starts with a choice—the choice to listen. Let's start a movement of people who truly listen, understand, and make a difference.
Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes as we and people from all walks of life share their experiences and we identify the lessons, blessings, and success principles that life is providing—lessons that we can all take advantage of and learn from if we pay attention.
If you're ready to step into your full potential, make sure to listen to the episode and share it with someone who could benefit from this powerful message. And don't forget to subscribe to Recounting Life Lessons and jump onto our Insider email list for more insights, actionable tips, and empowering stories.
We are Sione & Alana
Co-Hosts and Owners of
Recounting Life Lessons
We're a married couple from Hawaii who are now living in Vancouver, Washington.
Two things that we are passionate about are:
1) Uncovering the success principles and life lessons that help us all grow into our best selves.
Our favorite ways to uncover success principles and life lessons are by sharing stories from our own adventures and interviewing inspiring guests from all walks of life on our podcast.
2) Making personal growth and consistently leveling up in your life simple and sustainable, no matter what your circumstances are.
We take special care to craft the programs and resources we create, in a way, that keeps things simple and easy to follow-through on.
Through our blog, podcast, courses, and programs, we aim to empower you to grow into your best self, live with purpose, and make a meaningful impact on the world around you.
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