What you listen to leads you. As a reinvention strategist and branding mentor to executives and entrepreneurs around the globe, I regularly remind professionals that their current path is a product of a past mindset. That mindset is usually shaped by our life experiences and encounters with other people. Far too many chase riches instead of making choices based on inner-reason. Even more claw and climb the corporate ladder only to get to the top and discover that it’s not where they wanted to be after all. For that reason, you should pay careful attention to what and whom you listen to. We can often find ourselves led by the opinions of people who will never live our lives. Unconsciously, however, we end up living our lives for them and not ourselves.
Think about that for a moment.
How many times have you decided to do something because you felt it was what you were “supposed†to do? Or, perhaps you chose a career path because someone led you in that direction and you just followed along. Sure, we all have to “do what we must do†now so that we can “do what we want to do†later.
Recently, I hosted a teleclass called “Overcoming a Brand Identity Crisis.†The response was so overwhelming, my team had to increase the capacity of the conference line! Clearly, I hit a nerve. I think the reason so many people are dissatisfied with their careers is because we end up listening to and being led by the opinions of others. I say “we†because we have all
done this, and it is a thought pattern that becomes engrained early on. As children, we’re conditioned to listen, to be respectful, and to obey. Of course, I’m not downplaying the importance of values, but I do think that many parents have steered their now-adult children into careers that they never really wanted for themselves.Further, there is nothing inherently wrong with opinions. Like another infamous body part, everyone has one. However, it is key to give the opinions of others proper perspective–nothing more and nothing less.
Here is the danger: few make the transition from childhood to what adulthood is supposed to be–not learning what to think, but how to think. That is my approach when it comes to business mentoring and coaching entrepreneurs and executives through my programs with ME University. After all, if everyone is thinking alike then someone isn’t thinking. What’s more, if you never learn to stand for something you wholeheartedly believe in, you’ll eventually settle for something you don’t.
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In order to have a fulfilling career in the marketplace, you have to learn to be led by the drumbeat within you, not the fast-paced clamor of spam going on around you. Your productivity (for executives) and your profitability (for entrepreneurs) is intimately tied to your authenticity.
Opinions are not fact. Just as people can be right, they can also be wrong. Here are three keys to placing the opinions, doubts and comments of others in perspective:
NUMBER ONE: Create Mission Statement. By having a clear understanding of your purpose and mission, you’ll be able to filter through the ideas and options presented to you. You can click here to read my previous article on 4 Keys to Crafting a Personal Mission Statement. Once you craft a mission statement, refer to it often and use it like a compass to guide your choices.
NUMBER TWO: Listen to Proven Leaders. You want to make sure that you’re listening to people who have actually been where you want to go. Don’t just listen to people who have an opinion about opportunities they’ve never encountered.  Remember, what you listen to leads you. You want to be led by people who have been where you desire to be.
NUMBER THREE: Trust Your Instinct. Never value the opinions of others more than your own. You should evaluate opinions as considerations not commandments. No matter how well someone knows you and cares about you, no one on the planet knows you better than you. Your intuition is your greatest gift designed to guide and guard you. Take time to tap into it. Most importantly, trust it!
I would love to hear your advice and experiences when it comes to letting your inner voice guide you in the marketplace. Any lessons learned from listening to the wrong advice would be great discussion as well. I look forward to hearing from you.