Learn From People You’ll Never Know

When I see a couple in a restaurant, both lost in their phones, not talking to each other, I learn from them. I remember to try and not do that when I’m with my girlfriend, and I move on.

When I hear some lady in the neighborhood yelling at her child again to stop crying, I learn from her. I remind myself that kids usually respond to a change in behavior, not more noise at the same frequency, and I move on.

When a stranger holds the door for me, I learn from him. I thank him, hold the same door for the next person, and I move on.

You’ll learn most from the people you know and understand deeply—but you can still learn from everyone else, too. Never discount a stranger’s wisdom just because you don’t know their name. Accept the lesson with gratitude, and do what they’ll do as soon as they’ve entered your life: move on.