5 ways deep people behave differently from shallow minds

We talk about deep people and shallow people all the time, but what does it really mean to be deep and how can we cultivate this depth? Being a deep person means having profound insights and understanding, while being a shallow person indicates a superficial understanding and lack of insight. Not everyone can have a deep knowledge and understanding about everything. We are human and we make mistakes. We judge others and criticize them from time to time. However, cultivating deeper ways of speaking and behaving in the world can benefit us and those around us. So what do we really mean when we describe people as shallow or deep?

Here are five ways deep people behave differently from shallow people:

1. Deep people see beyond appearances

Often we use the example of shallow people making judgments based on appearances. We usually think of deep people as being more interested in other people because of their values rather than their appearance. Deep thinkers can look beyond surface appearances and appreciate others for less tangible qualities such as kindness, compassion, and wisdom.

2. Deep people don’t believe everything they hear or read

They do not believe everything they read or hear without applying critical thinking or deep understanding. Deep people don’t necessarily believe what they hear, especially if it goes against their values. This is why deep people find gossip and misinformation so upsetting. They know how damaging these shallow views can be. Deep people look behind the news stories and gossip. They question why this information is being shared in this way and what purpose it serves.

3. Deep people listen more than they speak

If we spend all of our time making noise, we can’t hear other people’s ideas and opinions. When all we do is regurgitate our existing opinions we can never learn anything new. This is a barrier to deeper understanding.

4. Deep people think through the consequences of their behavior

Shallow people sometimes fail to understand how their words and actions affect others. Everything we do has an impact on others and, while we need to be true to ourselves, there is no excuse for hurting others.  Our words can wound others deeply so we should be very careful how we use them. Our actions also reflect the people we are, so if we aspire to be deep people, we should act with integrity and responsibility.

5. Deep people try to get past their egos

Sometimes, we put others down in order to make ourselves feel better. Usually, the urge to criticize comes from a feeling of not being good enough ourselves. Deep people can often look past their insecurities so they can show compassion to those who are struggling rather than judging them.