112: How to Listen (and Why)
from College Essay Guy Hosted by College Essay Guy
On this episode I interview an old friend of mine, Ben Mathes, founder of the Urban Confessional, which is a free listening project. A few years ago Ben started posting up outside bus stops and on street corners with a sign that reads “Free Listening” and he would do just that: listen. Over the last couple years it’s ignited something of a movement and Urban Confessional is now in 73 countries, 2000 volunteers strong, and has been featured in the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Fast Company, The Big Think, Glamour Magazine, and in over 45 international publications. His blog, HOW TO LISTEN WHEN YOU DISAGREE, has been read over 2 million times and republished in over 100 publications across the world. They are currently the subject of a PBS produced documentary called "ARE WE LISTENING", and this year, they launched the HEARD PODCAST, which features honest conversations from visionaries, leaders, and other interesting people. On this episode we discuss how Urban Confessional started, what Ben has learned about listening over the years, how these lessons have impacted his relationships and even what it was like doing free listening at last year’s Republican and Democratic National Conventions. At the end he offers a great resource called the “Practice Partner Guide,” with some great practical tips for how to listen. It’s wonderful stuff from a wonderful human, as you’ll soon see, and the applications include, then go much beyond the college application process.
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