It’s quite amazing how much conversation happens on a daily basis that isn’t important.
Though one might need to qualify what “important” means. You may say that all the small talk you have before you make a sale on a deal is critically important to getting the deal across the finish line, but in the big scheme of things, was that conversation or were those topics actually important?
It seems it’s a rarity now to have friends with which you can talk about important things. We’re too concerned over being right or proving someone’s opinion wrong that we don’t make time for listening and talking through complex issues and subjects.
All of this is a broad and overarching generalization. Some of us do have friends that we can talk about important things regularly. We are able to put aside differences and instead talk about the important things in light of “let’s learn about this”.
Those real conversations that you are able to have are a treasure and you should treat them as gold. When you can’t have those conversations, I think you will find it is very hard to grow out of the place you are at.
When you don’t have people around you who can challenge you to think more deeply and more critically about important things happening in your life, it’s going to be easiest to stay exactly where you are.