Listening is one of the main pillars of creative problem solving and creating value for your clients. When we listen with intent, we build a bridge of connection and strengthen awareness.
However, listening is a double edge sword, because listening can also invite disaster into your life. Let me explain.
We are, by nature, attentive beings. We are sponges aching to acquire data. However, if we are not capable of recognizing the specific value of what we hear, we invite things into our lives that are not serving us. This is why we must create a proper context for our listening.
What we hear is either noise or signal. Noise is unorganized data that takes up space but has no innate value. Signal, on the other hand, carries information that we need to transmute into something valuable. Both take up space. Sometimes it is really hard for us to discern one from the other. That’s precisely one of our biggest challenges: To turn up the signal and turn down the noise.
The noise in our lives comes from 2 places: External conditioning and self-sabotage.
In the first case, we allow for limiting beliefs to take over us, because we assimilate with something we hear or see, and we deem it important. In the second case, we hold onto a wound from the past- a trauma. Both heavily influence our ability to make sound decisions that support who we are.
Noise is the antithesis of our true nature. Signal is the essence of our true nature. Signal is the pure information of our potential that we can only hear when we listen inward. It has nothing to do with data we collect on the outside. It is awareness we build from the inside. When we allow for stillness to come over us, the noise dies down and the inner voice expands.
Signal contains everything we need to know to create thoughts, words and actions we truly care about. Our best work relies on the signal of our inner self; it cannot be born from the noise of the world.
Awareness is the key to growing your signal.
Being aware that we have invited noise in, and that it directs our thoughts, is an important step to quieting it down. This forces us to hold still and to listen inwardly. Whether through meditation or moments of flow where you exercise your passion, the connection with yourself opens the gate to recognizing what you are truly about. You can’t collect your life’s gifts if you are unable to hear them.
If you want to “find yourself,” remember that the truth lies within. There is no book, no mentor, no class or degree that will give you what is already inside of you. Sounds cliché, but all you have to do is listen.
