
No One Understands You and What to Do About It

Communication is about what is received, not what is intended. If there is a gap between what you are saying and what they are hearing, you have to find a new way to say it
3-2-1: How to find your way in life, the power of quiet weeks, and the problem with smart people
ANXIETY. The number two reason people don’t see others is that they have so much noise in their own heads, they can’t hear what’s going on in other heads. How am I coming across? I don’t think this person really likes me. What am I going to say next to appear clever? Fear is the enemy of open communication.
David Brooks • How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
In fact, the gap between what you’re really thinking and what you’re saying is part of what makes a conversation difficult. You’re distracted by all that’s going on inside. You’re uncertain about what’s okay to share, and what’s better left unsaid. And you know that just saying what you’re thinking would probably not make the conversation any easie
... See moreSheila Heen • Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
of me, but if I say so, understandable.