Thoughts are nothing but telling words to ourself. There is no more usage of thought than communication and to do something.
When there is nothing to do, we don't need thought. Even when we need to do something the involvement of thought is limited to that task only. Not to the thousands of other things we can consider.
A word is introduced by a language. Which relates to something. But it is not that thing. Even if we get to know the word, it's meaning what it relates to, still we cannot get the complete picture of what it is. Because it's just a word not the actual thing. If we make a story around that word, it does not mean we know it, we understood it. As it will be the only theory, not the practical. And if we get to know or see the actual thing our story may be devastated.
Listen without memory
When there are people talking just try to listen without saying a word to yourself. It will be like a new born baby, who don't have any memory to listen through it.