THE NOISE FILTER: DECISION MAKING UNDER PRESSURE
People often ask me how you hear your teammates when you play in front of 50,000 screaming supporters. They also ask if you can hear individual voices from the crowd. “Hey Corné, you dirty bastard, I hope you get stitches in your face!” 😊
No, it wasn’t usually that bad, but you learn to filter all the noise and focus on the voices that matter. At times, in the high-pressure moments, you even have to filter your own thoughts and self-talk. The thing is, whether there are 50,000 people or 15 people, you still have to have the ability to filter information and identify the value of the source.
NAVIGATING THE SOCIAL MEDIA ERA
In the era of social media, the noise has escalated to a level that can drive you crazy if you don’t apply a filter. In the past, if you had an issue with someone, you wrote them an email and only copied the people who needed to know. Now, someone puts a post on social media and the whole world can see what has been said—and they can all comment.
To be honest, there are many qualified individuals who have the capability to comment, but there are millions of people who are not in a position to give advice, yet they do anyway. Whether you like it or not, there will always be criticism for the ones who are out there daily doing their thing.
CHOOSING THE VOICES THAT MATTER
That is why it is incredibly important for us to be able to put a filter on the information we choose to receive. This takes a lot of discipline and restraint, as you are not only filtering data, but you are also choosing who you would like to hear.
My kids talk about the “blue tick,” and it always makes me laugh, as it makes you feel uncomfortable when you know someone has read your message and decided not to answer. I think the first thing we need to determine is: who do we value in life, and how do we value their comments, criticism, and critique?
I have friends that I rely on to comment, criticise, and compliment where needed. In business, we should have friends or family who hold us accountable when we are not doing what we are supposed to do. If we don’t have these people in our lives, we listen to the “noise” and lose focus on the job at hand.
THE NEED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND STILLNESS
We all need a friend or family member whom we respect and from whom we can take advice. Without these level-headed individuals in our lives, we will always be relying on the external noise that actually destroys people.
Who is your mentor, friend, family member, or accountability partner? We all need these crucially important people in our lives to make sure that we don’t get overcome by the static. Because I come from the bush in Zambia, my happy place is in a remote area where I can recharge away from the noise.
Where do you go when you need some stillness from the noise?
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to get in touch with me about my key note presentation, Debunking Motivation, please send an email to corne@cornekrige.com. Visit my website to review my speaker sheet for more info. I also share my story on my social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.