I once had a professor who had opportunities to meet and work with others who were masters of their trade.

He said that after working with top architects, directors, and business executives, he realized one common trait.

When you spoke, they listened. Not only did they hear, but they also listened.

In my professor’s words “Whatever problem you had, became their problem. Nothing was more interesting to them than your words at that moment.”

A good listener is not only someone people want to be around, to confide in, to trust, but knows how to use listening to benefit him- or her-self.

The good listener knows that a good conversation is definitely two-sided, but one learns through listening.

Here are 10 tips to be a better listener:

(1) Be Legitimately Interested: As mentioned above, be interested. Drop whatever you were doing and focus. Stop focusing on the email you were writing or the article you were reading and really listen. Put yourself in the speaker’s place and make his or her problems your own. The speaker will consciously or subconsciously pick up on this and you will learn more from the conversation. However, if you are in the middle of something just a little too important to drop…

(2) Be Honest About Your Time: If you really are in the middle of something important, tell the speaker. Apologize and plan for another meeting where you can ensure your full attention and focus. This will let the speaker know that you appreciate their coming to you and you want to give them your full concentration. It’s much better than lending half-an-ear and not listening well.

(3) Accept the Speaker’s Point-Of-View: At least until he or she is done speaking. Some of us have the desire to get our point across and a word in for every sentence spoken. Even if you disagree with the speaker’s stance on a subject, allow him or her to finish their thought before voicing your disagreement and then only if necessary. Remember, you are trying to be a listener, not partake in a discussion.

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Have you ever had a project proposal to write up by noon? Maybe a 5-page paper due tomorrow at 8 A.M.? Got writer’s block? Sometimes there just isn’t enough to write about.

If your current piece has a page-minimum, here is a little known trick to employ in your everyday Microsoft Word to get the job done quicker.

Increasing the size of your font and increasing the size of your margins are worth trying, but the savvy reviewer will notice these shortcuts quickly. Something they won’t be looking for is an increased period size.

By increasing the size of your periods, an 8-page paper can become a 10 page paper without a single additional word.

Here’s how to do it:

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Webster’s Dictionary defines an “egotist” as a selfish, self-centered person.

Initially, these characteristics sound like they should be avoided at all costs. After all, who wants to be the mean, selfish, guy in the room that nobody likes talking to?

I say that there is a time and place for everything and using these characteristics in the right way can help you save time, save money, and gain an edge in your life.

First off, for the remainder of this article, I’d like to redefine “egotistical” to mean “confident, proud, secure, and ambitious”. These personality traits are usually contained within the egotist, but our goal is to do away with the “selfish and self-centered” portion of that definition and focus on confidence and pride.

Why would I want to be “egotistical”?

There are many reasons. A few are:

(1) Success: Chetan Chopra,. Ph.D. writes that “Nothing succeeds like confidence. When you truly and justifiably confident, it radiates from you like sunlight, and attracts success to you like magnet.” Have you ever seen a successful person who didn’t look confident? The two go hand in hand.

(2) Love Life: It’s a fact of life that both men and women like to be around people who are confident. It makes them feel more confident, more productive, just better in general. We’ve all heard the adages “Nice guys finish last,” and “Women like the bad boys,” and although this may be true, it’s not necessarily because women like bad boys. It’s because women like confident men. The same goes for men, but it may be more discrete. In order to really shine in “the dating market”, a portrayal of an air of confidence without the “bad-boy attitude” may work all the better. Be the guy that she wants and can take home to mom and pop with no worries.

(3) Satisfaction: In many cases, when you want something, someone else wants something from the same equation. I like to think of it like a teeter-totter. If you are up, the other guy is down and vice versa. So why shouldn’t you be the “up-guy”? You are good enough for it, you are deserving of it. Take it. Confidence and pride will help you win many arguments make you that “up-guy” more frequently.

Ok, Ok, but what can I do to become more “egotistical”?

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Ever meet up with a buddy and found yourself driving out of your way while she only drives down the block?

Ever sell or buy something on eBay or craigslist and arrange a meeting for exchange and find yourself wasting time and money to get to this meeting place?

Well then! Mezzoman is the Google Maps Mashup for you!

Just plug in 2 starting addresses and it will, through a series of mind-boggling algorithms, determine the ideal meeting place for both parties.

You can even plug in search criteria like near “Italian Food” or “Movie Theater” and it’ll adjust your location accordingly.

This app is invaluable.

Check it out: Mezzoman