--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Through the years, I have heard that the…" description: "\"“Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/susan-c-young-156_active-listening_through-the-years-i-have-heard-that-the_578224.jpg" --- # Through the years, I have heard that the average person… ![“Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per minute. What is going on during all that extra mind time? • Our minds are racing ahead and preparing for the next thing we are going to say. • We are…” quote by Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/susan-c-young-156_active-listening_through-the-years-i-have-heard-that-the_578224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/susan-c-young-156_active-listening_through-the-years-i-have-heard-that-the_578224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/susan-c-young-156_active-listening_through-the-years-i-have-heard-that-the_578224.jpg) > ““Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per minute. What is going on during all that extra mind time? • Our minds are racing ahead and preparing for the next thing we are going to say. • We are preoccupied with other thoughts, priorities, and distractions. • Our subconscious filters are thumbing through our database of memories, judgments, experiences, perspectives, and opinions to frame how we are going to interpret what we think someone is saying.”” [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often hear faster than they speak because the brain allocates time to plan responses, manage distractions, and retrieve relevant memories before interpreting incoming speech. **In simple terms:** Listening is faster than speaking due to mental preparation and filtering. Key Takeaway Be aware of mental multitasking while listening. Themes communication attention cognition Mood reflective analytical Type advice psychology When to use this quote - meetings - classrooms - customer service - personal conversations Key Concepts cognitive load memory retrieval filtering Questions to Reflect On - How does your brain prioritize listening vs. planning? - What strategies improve focused listening? A Different Perspective Mind may miss nuances when preoccupied with internal dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Active-listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-listening/) [Average person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-person/) [Communication skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication-skills/) [Customer-service-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-service-quotes/) [Healthy-conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-conversation/) [Heard Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-average-3193476/) [Listen Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen-rate-4758604/) [Minute Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minute-going-1776345/) [Motivational-speaker-susan-young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-speaker-susan-young/) [Positive-first-impression-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-first-impression-quotes/) [Quotes-by-susan-c-young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotes-by-susan-c-young/) [Relationship quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-quotes/) [Susanspeaks-com](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/susanspeaks-com/) [Think Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-saying-668000/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Words Minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-minute-594086/) ## Related quotes > [“In a study in 1995, Betty Hart and Todd Risley of the University of Kansas found that children in professional families heard on average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-study-in-1995-betty-hart-and-todd-risley-of-the-university-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In a study in 1995, Betty Hart and Todd Risley of the University of Kansas found that children in professional families heard on average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-study-in-1995-betty-hart-and-todd-risley-of-the-university-of-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The process of attentive listening makes the other person feel important, valued, and heard. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“Listening is one of the finest ways to demonstrate our love for another human being. How many marriages could be saved, friendships healed, careers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/listening-is-one-of-the-finest-ways-to-demonstrate-our-love-for/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“14 Ways to Become an Incredible Listener 1. Be present and provide your undivided attention. 2. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/14-ways-to-become-an-incredible-listener-1-be-present-and-provide/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“If the skill of participatory listening came effortlessly and easy for everyone, there would not be so many misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, irritations, and frustrations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/if-the-skill-of-participatory-listening-came-effortlessly-and-easy/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“By your practice of active listening, everyone involved benefits because you . . . • are more engaged and engaging; • demonstrate that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/by-your-practice-of-active-listening-everyone-involved-benefits/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 39 Active-listening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-listening/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Through the years, I have heard that the average person speaks at about 150-160 words per minute, but can listen at a rate of about 1,000 words per minute. What is going on during all that extra mind time? •\tOur minds are racing ahead and preparing for the next thing we are going to say. •\tWe are preoccupied with other thoughts, priorities, and distractions. •\tOur subconscious filters are thumbing through our database of memories, judgments, experiences, perspectives, and opinions to frame how we are going to interpret what we think someone is saying.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan C. 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