Mindset story: What if you would have to watch what you say

One day at lunch with his best friend, Dave started a conversation, “Imagine a day when no one would complain to you about their troubles, or a day when you wouldn’t have to listen to people go on and on about their opinion about anything and everything even though you haven’t asked them… Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Imagine how peaceful it would be.” His friend looked at hit seriously and sad, “Dave if you really mean it, then I may know of such a place. I heard of a monastery that has very strict rules if you want to live there. One of them is that the monks there have to take a vow of silence, and they are allowed to speak only two words per year. Only senior monks are allowed to say more than two words. So if you would go to such a place you would have to watch what you say as everyone else would.”

Later that day Dave started to research if such a place really does exist. To his amazement, he found the monastery his friend was talking about. So Dave quit his job, said goodbye to his friends, and went to live in the monastery as a monk. When he first arrived at the monastery the first thing he noticed was how quiet it was. And even though the monks weren’t speaking they somehow found a way to effectively work together. One of the head monks who initiated Dave into the order explained the rules to him, and from the moment Dave accepted his vows and new clothes he was allowed to speak only two words per year.

Even though Dave was know among his friends as a person who chose his words carefully he now found it more difficult than he expected to not speak freely. Because of his occasional “slip up” he now found himself in trouble with the head monk. As a result, Dave wasn’t allowed to say his two words to the head monk at their annual meeting. The head monk again warned him about the rules and the consequences if he wouldn’t follow them, “Remember, brother Dave when you joined our monastery you were made aware of our rules. Now make sure you follow them and we shall speak again next year.

After leaving the office of the head monk, Dave decided to make a bracelet with the following message to help him keep on track, “watch what you say, and when you say it.” So after his second year at the monastery, Dave was summoned to his annual meeting with the head monk. “One more year has passed since you joined us,” said the head monk. Now watch what you say as you only have two words you can say to me?” “Bed hard,” said Dave. “Thank you for telling me that,” replied the head monk.

One year later, Dave was again summoned to the head monk’s office. “It has been one more year,” said the head monk. “What are the two words you would like to speak?” “Food awful,” said the monk. “I see,” replied the head monk. Yet another year passed and Dave once again met with the head monk who asked, “What are your two words now, after all these years?” “I quit!” said Dave. “Well, I can see why,” replied the head monk. “All you ever do is complain. You should be more mindful and watch what you say when talking with people, especially if you need their help.”