Noise refers to the negative feedback we get from naysayers who condemn our goals. Sometimes this negativity rings so loudly that often we can’t "hear" our way out of the starting gate. This is especially true when we have low self esteem and question our own ability to make wise investments and other choices.

Some people surrender to this noise altogether and grant “power of attorney” on their life decisions to people who package themselves as superior decision makers. Victims to noise lose sight of the fact that sometimes the only thing these other people are good at . . . is making noise.

The greatest things that I have achieved in life were ones that I pursued before the chance even presented itself to ask permission.

There were times when I failed, but that was never the end of the story. In those cases, I soon saw that even if I didn't acquire the goal that I initially pursued, I was no more “wrong” about pursuing this goal than were the naysayers. I didn't fail in the ways that the naysayers warned, I merely accomplished something different and unexpected. I was loyal to my own truth and bettered myself as a person in ways that served as a fulcrum for the accomplishment of other goals that my naysayers were not on a path to accomplish themselves.

The Bandwidth of Noise

Noise consists of two message bandwidths – specific noise and general noise.

People transmit specific noise by stating blatantly that you can’t accomplish specific goals that you are considering. This type of noise is easy to diagnose and overcome.

General noise is more difficult to associate with specific opportunities and so is harder to shake. People transmit general noise by suggesting that you don't possess the general qualities to succeed with categories of opportunities, but throughout your life these people may have little to nothing to say about your specific goals.

General noise can occur, for example, if your father tells you that you can’t run very fast, and so years later you don't try out for baseball because the game involves the skill of running between bases and in the outfield. When you refused to try out for baseball, your batting, pitching and other equal relevant skills go unassessed, resulting in potential inefficiencies when you, the sporting industry and society at large do not have an opportunity to experience your full baseball potential.

General noise is more commonly caused by long-term exposure to negative family feedback (or failure of your family to correct negative feedback delivered from others). General noise can be more insidious than specific noise because we never know when it is going to hit us and sometimes can't even “hear” (i.e., remember) its original source. We can’t associate that noise with the reasons that we talk ourselves out of pursuing specific goals today.

You may think of the baseball example as an overly simplistic one, but think about how far down the wormhole you could go with the concept of general noise. What made you stop from applying for that promotion, or pursuing that new business opportunity, or asking that beautiful girl out on a date? Who told you that you couldn’t do that?!

Responding to Noise

Transcending specific noise is easy. Just look at the people who are telling you that you can’t do something, and see where they are their lives.

Are they capable of mentoring you in the field that you want to pursue based on actual success they have enjoyed in that or a similar field?

Are they making the money you want to make? Do they have the job title you aspire to? Are they happy with their own lives?

Usually, the louder the noise, the more discontent the hornblower!

Ask them whether they have some reasoned thoughts for why you should be deterred from your goals. Really listen to their responses from an objective point of view and, if there is no logic behind it -- just ignore the noise.

One of my mentors quoted his mother as saying once: “You can not stop a bird from landing on your shoulder, but you can sure stop it from building a nest.” I like to apply that lesson to specific noise.

You can expect that naysayers will have an initial impact on your mood and your confidence, but as long as you don’t let it linger and don’t let it derail you from your intention to pursue your goal, then you have transcended that initial impact and you have won. Always make it your intention to rise above any kind of noise.

Transcending general noise is the subject for further articles and discussions to come. I will say for now that general noise is an attack on your self-esteem no matter where it comes from. Let me direct you to the personal development resources webpage and suggest you look at the materials recommended in the Self Improvement and Inspirational Self-Help sections.

Your mission to build a lifeline of prosperity cannot be limited to pursuing individual goals, it must include the overarching goal of building a positive self image.

General noise comes from letting your background, no matter what it may consist of, overpower who you are today. Through the study of positive self-imagery you will soon learn how to take control of who you are and not let the perceptions of your original caregivers and your background define you.

Learning to think in different ways about your life and who you are will infuse your life with incredible hope and expectation, similar to an endorphin rush that keeps going and going. I wouldn’t even call the process of transcending general noise "work." I'd call it an elating process of rebellion against people who deserve to be rebelled against. You are in for some incredibly liberating days ahead.

As you comb through the personal development resources, the positive self image lessons will not all stick with you at first -- you will have to continue reading and listening to the material. But go easy on yourself. After all, it’s taken this long for you to feel one way about yourself and those images don’t go away overnight.

As the general noise fades – and with your determination it will fade -- you will be able to hear your own voice piping up more confidently in your decisionmaking and will finally be introduced to your core self. And that is worth infinitely more than you will ever have to pay to anyone to set you on this path.

Last Remarks

Perseverance is the most powerful part of the three dimensional model of success, the first being confidence in your goal selection skills, and the second being the ability to transcend opposing voices. Perseverance is only a virtue when as a result of that persistent mindset you create things that are of benefit to society. But once you develop the self confidence to recognize that your criteria, and yours alone, is sufficient to select goals wisely and withstand discouragement, you will be able to focus all of your energy toward the pursuit of your goals without spending useless time worrying that your dreams are delusions.

The goal of Power Wealth Creation is to help you build the confidence and positive self talk that allow you to persevere without distraction. You may be criticized along the way by those who are not on your path. Don’t worry - even the quietest minds get queasy when their owners are called bullheaded.

Just take a step back and remember – perseverance is the same mindset as bullheadedness, and the only thing that distinguishes the two is the 20-20 hindsight that society uses to value the good or service produced as the end result.

Did you succeed or did you fail?

It’s all about trusting that, as a person wired with basic human senses and instincts, you know what is best for you. If that is a delusion, then there are certainly worse ones to have.

Stumble It!Persevere in peace!

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