--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I prefer listening to talking, reading to…" description: "\"I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing ... I like to think before I speak (softly).\" — Susan Cain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/susan-cain-647_communication_i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to_681120.jpg" --- # I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing… ![“I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing ... I like to think before I speak (softly).” quote by Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/susan-cain-647_communication_i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to_681120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/susan-cain-647_communication_i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to_681120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/susan-cain-647_communication_i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to_681120.jpg) > “I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing ... I like to think before I speak (softly).” [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She values listening and reflection over constant conversation, finding depth in thought. **In simple terms:** Think before you speak; value listening. Key Takeaway Practice active listening and thoughtful pauses. Themes introversion communication reflection Mood calm introspective Type psychological advice When to use this quote - team meetings - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts listening skills mindful conversation Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage introverts to share? - When does silence become a barrier? A Different Perspective May be perceived as aloof or disengaged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Listening Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-talking-1437666/) [Prefer Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-listening-1779489/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Socializing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-socializing-5388307/) [Socializing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socializing/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak softly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-softly/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to-socializing-and-cozy-chats/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [For me, personally, Im usually not on my phone that much. I prefer listening to old radio shows and watching foreign films than tweeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-me-personally-im-usually-not-on-my-phone-that-much-i-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of times, I prefer listening. But it doesn't mean I'm not worried that it's so boring and people are like, 'Why do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/a-lot-of-times-i-prefer-listening-but-it-doesn-t-mean-i-m-not-worried/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [ \[Introverts,\] the world needs you and it needs the things you carry. So I wish you the best of all possible journeys and the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/introverts-the-world-needs-you-and-it-needs-the-things-you-carry-so-i/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Love is essential; gregariousness is optional. Cherish your nearest and dearest. Work with colleagues you like and respect. Scan new acquaintances for those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/love-is-essential-gregariousness-is-optional-cherish-your-nearest-and/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [I have stopped listening, so why are you STILL talking?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-stopped-listening-so-why-are-you-still-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God gave us two ears and one mouth to do twice as much listening as talking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-neal/god-gave-us-two-ears-and-one-mouth-to-do-twice-as-much-listening-as/) [Mark O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-o-neal/) > [If there's anyone in space, what they'll learn about the human race will be listening to us talking on the car phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/if-there-s-anyone-in-space-what-they-ll-learn-about-the-human-race/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [In prayer, more is accomplished by listening than by talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-frances-de-chantal/in-prayer-more-is-accomplished-by-listening-than-by-talking/) [Jane Frances de Chantal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-frances-de-chantal/) > [The key to acting has much more to do with listening than with talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/the-key-to-acting-has-much-more-to-do-with-listening-than-with-talking/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [Have u ever felt that God isn't listening when you're talking to Him? Well, He is. He's just planning something better to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/have-u-ever-felt-that-god-isn-t-listening-when-you-re-talking-to-him/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [ We should all know this: that listening is not talking; \[it\] is the gifted and great role and the imaginative role. And the true… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/we-should-all-know-this-that-listening-is-not-talking-it-is-the/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [I think that being in politics, being in leadership should be as much about listening as talking. That's how I think you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-that-being-in-politics-being-in-leadership-should-be-as-much/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/most-of-the-successful-people-i-ve-known-are-the-ones-who-do-more/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Im not listening, but keep talking. I enjoy the way your voice makes my ears bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly/im-not-listening-but-keep-talking-i-enjoy-the-way-your-voice-makes-my/) [Curly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly/) ## More by Susan Cain > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Our place on this continuum influences our choice of friends and mates, and how we make conversation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/where-we-fall-on-the-introvert-extrovert-spectrum-our-place-on-this/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they’re good talkers, but they don’t have good ideas,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-worry-that-there-are-people-who-are-put-in-positions-of-authority/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“He believes, as most of us do, that venting anger lets off steam. 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The most recent version of the Diagnostic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/social-anxiety-disorder-which-essentially-means-pathological-shyness/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Potential clients would walk out of Charlie’s office scared”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/potential-clients-would-walk-out-of-charlie-s-office-scared/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“So when introverts assume the observer role, as when they write novels, or contemplate unified field theory- or fall quiet at dinner parties- they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/so-when-introverts-assume-the-observer-role-as-when-they-write-novels/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“Osborn’s theory had great impact, and company leaders took up brainstorming with enthusiasm. To this day, it’s common for anyone who spends time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/osborn-s-theory-had-great-impact-and-company-leaders-took-up/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/extroversion-is-an-enormously-appealing-personality-style-but-we-ve/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“But as the word satyagraha implies, Gandhi’s passivity was not weakness at all. It meant focusing on an ultimate goal and refusing to divert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/but-as-the-word-satyagraha-implies-gandhi-s-passivity-was-not/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“The Extrovert Ideal has been documented in many studies, though this research has never been grouped under a single name. Talkative people, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/the-extrovert-ideal-has-been-documented-in-many-studies-though-this/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation. As the influential psychologist Hans Eysenck once observed, introversion “concentrates the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/introverts-prefer-to-work-independently-and-solitude-can-be-a/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [ “People who tend to \[suppress their negative emotions\] regularly,” concludes Grob, “might start to see the world in a more negative light.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/people-who-tend-to-suppress-their-negative-emotions-regularly/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) [Explore all 428 Susan Cain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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