The noise of life can derail or detract of from our goals. Here’s how to turn down the volume.
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Noise is very interesting. The spectrum ranges from noise pollution to beautiful. Sometimes it can hold us back or help us get through the day.
It is more productive to take a look at the noise that may hold us back. This isn’t always the noise you may think about; barking dog, leaf blower, etc. It is the noise of life that can derail our drive to achieve our goals.
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple has famously stated that he had taught himself to be better at blocking out the noise. He has a tremendous amount of noise to block out in his life, and clearly he has been successful in what he does. Unfortunately, Tim didn’t leave us with any of his expert noise blocking tips. So lets dive deeper, and see what we come up with:
Say “Bye-Bye” to Debbie Downer! You don’t have time for these negative energy people. This comes in the form of colleagues, goofballs on Twitter, the competition and more. Turn the volume down in this department and you will free up more space in your brain to perform. Once this skill is mastered, you will unlock huge potential.
Meditate The good news with Meditation is that everyone is qualified! There are so many forms of meditation. Pick your flavor, and get started. This will allow you to clear out and equalize the noise, thus allowing you to perform at a higher level. One of the more well known “gurus” of meditation is Jon Kabit-Zinn. He is a top teacher of Mindfulness and the founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. A fascinating gentleman can provide you a good starting point.
Focus on your goals Naturally by focusing stronger on your goals, you will see the noise in the periphery start to quiet. Write your goal(s) down, post it to your computer—(make sure the goals are attainable). Know you will attain these goals and visualize the end result on a daily basis.
Quiet your internal noise As much as you need to say “bye-bye” to Debbie Downer, you need to part with your internal noise. This starts by recognizing that this noise exists. Accepting it. Then working to slowly remove it.
Find a Hobby You may already have one or many. However, many of us work so hard, that we find our hobbies are things we “used to do.” If you loved what you did, start it up again. Pick up that paintbrush or guitar and have some fun. Balance is a necessity in the game of life.
Have Lunch with Winners You may have heard this very cliche statement before, but it proves to be true. Winners help to keep your thoughts in line and keep the negative noise at bay. Find the winners in your life and hang out with them.
Are you already an expert at tuning out the noise? Share your strategies. Have any of the strategies above worked for you. Please let us know. Time for me to shut down the computer, and meditate.
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Originally appeared at LinkedIn. Reprinted with permission.
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Photo credit: Getty Images