External noise
We are surrounded by so much noise. Much of it is external noise: traffic, calls, pings, music we choose to listen to, etc.
Be conscious about where you invite noise in. I love to listen to music, but sometimes I choose to embrace the silence where I am.
You don’t need to go on a retreat to get that silence.
Internal Noise
Even on a retreat, you can’t escape the more persistent noise: the ceaseless narration of the inner voices. The rat race in your head travels with you. The worst noise polluter is the one in your head.
In fact, the only way to quiet the voices is through stillness. You must stop moving. Embrace the pause.
Creating space for your best work
You can clear the space on your calendar. You can prime your physical body. You can create the perfect external environment. Free of clutter and perfectly zen.
All of that creates a physical container for productivity. But without silence in your mind you will struggle to be productive.
The distraction is not Facebook or email. It is not your app notifications or the pings.
It comes from within.
The Trigger is Internal
This is what I mean when I talk about the trigger being internal.
You disrupt yourself.
If you want to find a way to disrupt yourself, you will. You don’t need to blame an app for that. We have been distracting ourselves since long before the Internet.
There’s always a way.
Silencing the Internal Noise
How do you cultivate that stillness of mind so you can truly focus? How do you create the space to see the big picture of life and do the deep thought and deep soul work that moves the needle on your life?
That’s what I teach.
It starts with the pause. You must be willing to stop.
Not just when things are slow, and when it’s easy, but when life is moving too fast. When stopping feels counter-productive.
When there’s so much on your plate that you don’t know what to do.
Stop. Pause. Listen.
You will hear the silence.
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