Noise can be described in a number of ways. There’s the literal definition of the word, a sound: one that is loud or unpleasant and causes a disturbance. Then there’s the technical definition: random fluctuations that obscure or do not contain meaningful data or other information. Random actions that are not easily understood and do not have any value.
When dealing with the standard form of noise, we have ways of dealing with it. Why? We can easily identify the source and thereby tune it out. What if the noise we hear is the random actions that are not easily understood and do not have any value? Like other people’s opinions. You are making changes in your life whether it is a separation from a person, place or thing. And people are talking. There’s positive talk and negative talk. Everyone seems to have an opinion. Do you listen? Should you listen?
You hear it. You know it’s happening. What do you do? Tune it out and ignore it. If you don’t, it will derail you from the task at hand. It could cause worry and doubt. Or chip away at your self-confidence. Simply put, you cannot let it get to you. You cannot give it life. The most important person to listen to is you. There’s always going to be someone who has opinion that is different from yours. The only way to get through it is tune out the noise to stay on track and accomplish your goals.
Picture Kevin Costner in “For the Love of the Game”. He’s pitching his final game with an injured shoulder. The crowd is cheering. As he’s getting ready to pitch, he locks in his mindset. He says to himself “reset the mechanism” and this cancels out all of the noise around him so he can focus. Create an action for yourself that sets your mindset and locks out the noise.
A simple action like I am suggesting will force you to focus and set your mindset. When surrounded by noise, it is important to remind yourself that you have a task at hand or a goal you are working towards that is for you, by you. The opinions of other people, positive and negative, can derail you, whether intended or not. They can slow you down and cause you to rethink what you are doing.
You are the master of your domain. No one else. It often seems everyone has an opinion about your life and what you should or shouldn’t be doing. I have found that the more I listen to what other people think, I am less able to make confident decisions about my life and the direction I am taking it. Seeking other’s opinions only causes doubt and unless they have 100% walked in your shoes, how can someone really have an opinion about you or what you are doing? It is your life and it is your responsibility to guide it, no one else’s. You have to look out for yourself. First. You have to do it for yourself. You cannot take care of anyone else if you are not taking care of yourself. There is a reason the airlines tell you to put your oxygen mask on first.
When you are able to tune out the noise in your life, you are focused and on point, driving your life and in charge of your own destiny. You are strong. Lock in your mindset for the day, each and every day, and tune out the noise.
Make a plan and go after it. One step at a time. Take time each day to reflect on your accomplishments. Reward yourself and celebrate the successes however small they might be!