Do you need noise canceling headphones for your career?

Many people, especially those who travel, use noise canceling headphones. Not only do noise canceling headphones block out exterior noise, they allow you to limit distractions and focus on what is important to you. Now, think about your career. It starts early. Young children are commonly asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When the child answers, the response is met with some type of feedback and advice. Advice, which can be requested or unsolicited at times, continues throughout your life as you move through your career. It comes from family, friends, mentors, supervisors, colleagues, and sometimes total strangers. That advice, or noise, can become so loud it drowns out your own inner voice. When that happens, consider using your very own career-related noise canceling headphones.

Advice comes in all forms. It can be well intentioned, or negative in nature. This advice, or noise, can be offered and interpreted in many different ways. The key is to gather the information that is offered in a constructive and productive way, then cancel out the noise that distracts you. It’s essentially being able to distinguish and manage useful feedback versus negative noise. If you are unable to do that you may internalize the noise, which can negatively affect your belief system and cause you to put additional pressure on yourself. It can also lead to confusion and self-doubt.

So how can you put on your career-related noise canceling headphones? First of all, honestly evaluate the influences, expectations, and advice that come your way. Think about it all objectively and apply it as it relates to your inner being (the core of you, what you believe in, and how you want to live your life). Consider the both information and the source. Then study yourself and specifically identify your priorities and goals. What are your interests, values, and aspirations? When have you felt professionally enriched in the past? What excites you about your work? What professional skills do you possess and how do you apply then in unique and valuable ways? What are your personal and professional priorities? They can include things such as spending time with family, earning a lot of money, receiving recognition for your work, doing a specific job, or living in a particular region or environment. Then put on the headphones and process this all by yourself in a quiet place. As you do this processing, integrate the noise with your own thoughts to determine what content will remain and what will be discarded.

Your next step is to move forward in some way. What do you want to do? You can test suggestions, advice, and the assumptions that people have offered. You can learn a new skill, take a class to gain knowledge, or research new job opportunities. You can start a blog, connect with others that share similar interests, or read more about topics that interest you. You can still get input from others while effectively minimizing the noise (put those headphones on when you need them), and most importantly, making intentional choices. Sometimes you’ll follow your gut, while other times your logical thoughts will guide your actions. The most important thing is to consider is as you do this, know that you are the one living your life. While others offer advice that contributes to the noise, it’s up to you to receive and process it effectively!