It’s Time to Trust Your Vision and Tune Out the Noise
On the home stretch of 2020, you need to get real
Now that the Labor Day holiday has passed, we’re on the home stretch. It’s been an abomination of a year, a stinking barrel fire of a year, one for the books, one to forget. There’s been a lot of bad juju this year, personally, culturally, socially, financially, medically, and politically.
During times of uncertainty, some people tune out distractions and make purposeful steps forward. They’re the ones who not only survive a crisis but thrive.
A smackdown usually calls for a pivot. And today, there’s never been a better time to get clear about what you want.
In pre-pandemic February, on Superbowl Sunday, my personal life took a drastic turn for the horrific. I lost my 21-year-old daughter in a domestic violence incident. Then the world came tumbling after.
If we can all agree on something, it’s that there are no guarantees.
One thing’s for certain
The things that flattened me have rolled on by. While I’m still a little dazed and confused, last week I realized that the sadness doesn’t exactly feel like dread anymore. Something in me is beginning to percolate at the very bottom of my soul. This is very good news because it means this life isn’t over.
Living through 2020 taught me this: Since there are no outward guarantees, you must turn inward.
I’ve seen difficult days, and I got through them. That alone is cause for hope. It’s time to get my second act together. If you can relate, then you’re welcome to come along.
We’ll never return to the life we knew before 2020. You can wring your hands, or make a choice. It’s called vision. And we all need it now more than ever. Your future depends on your ability to ignore the distractions, and with your own eyes, search for your next best step.
From dark periods come success stories.
Start small, get real
After this colossal smack-down, do you really care anymore if your choices look good to anyone else?
The steps you take now must first benefit you, then your family, then your community. It’s time to start small again and get real about what you can accomplish. You don’t need to take on the word, because nearly everyone else is turned inward; no one’s focused on you, either.
The bad and good news is that many people shrug and say the future is out of their hands. That’s wrong. Bad for them, but good for you, if you take advantage of the uncertainty.
The opportunity before you
I’m not going to tell you to look on the bright side, or any baloney like that. Those “only positive vibe”-ers want you to believe the world is resonating on some higher energetic level that many are just not feeling these days.
You survived 2020 so far, and that’s a gift. Here’s your life on a platter. Now, what are you going to do with it?
Your health, your kids’ lives, your career, your relationships, and your living arrangements… all that can get pulled out from under you. But your vision is yours for keeps.
And it’s a force more powerful than you think.
I once read this advice given by a creative, successful woman: “Trust your vision, especially your peripheral vision.”
At the time I thought that meant something about leaving a legacy, creating something longlasting that matters to others. The peripheral vision she spoke of seemed to be about the reach of your goals; how many people your life affects; the rippling effect of your work in the world. But I was wrong.
Peripheral vision is more about trusting in yourself. To “trust” your vision while your environment is in flames is a very personal thing. Trust is a loaded word, especially when institutions, people, and lifestyles have toppled. Your peripheral vision is being aware of your environment without focusing your attention on it.
The challenge is to mark a spot in the future and place one foot in front of the other, aware of turmoil around you, but knowing your path.
Like someone walking a tightrope, this vision requires concentration, the ability to tune out the noise, and a no-BS account of your raw skills and talents. Only you can do this.
Now more than ever, it’s good to be different
Rapper Tyrese Gibson says, “Only people who can see the invisible can do the impossible.” The hilarious downside is that people who see the invisible usually look like lunatics to those who don’t have the same vision.
This is no time to follow the crowd. When you begin to evaluate and affect what is going on in your world — not the world at large — everyone benefits.
Too many people align themselves with a faction of other people and incorrectly call this a vision. True vision is a personal call to follow your weird, broken, crazy, skewed, unique reality, or point of view.
If you have an idea that’s difficult, wonderful, and worth exploring, then this is your moment. I hope you’re brave enough, sober enough, hardworking enough, and agile enough to get after it… Because the rest of us need you.
Only you know what it’s like to live inside your skin and savor your experiences. Practice your skills, seek your preferences, pursue what you know to be true, especially if they’re weird.
Your vision could include profound action like getting out of debt; standing up for yourself or the underdog; withdrawing your kids from their school; or working a new marketing plan for your flailing business. Your vision could also include making a real dinner for once, or sitting down and playing the piano because it just makes you happy.
If it’s personal and fulfilling, this means it has the potential to change the course of your life and the world you live in.
Nurturing trust in your vision
Does something call to you that others don’t seem to see? What you find fascinating or valuable is your clue. Get real about your skills. You’re naturally drawn to things and experiences more than others. People may even tell you what they are. Pay attention.
If you can define something that turns you on more than anything else, or if you take particular interest in detail no one else notices, or if you hold something to be beautiful and true that others don’t seem to understand; take note. You’re on your path.
This is your vision coming into focus.
This vision requires concentration, the ability to tune out the noise, and a no-BS account of your raw skills and talents.
Lead yourself forward
Don’t worry about who may follow. Do the right thing for you. This is how we save our world, our countries, our cities, neighborhoods, and homes.
We live rich lives, yet some people are trying very hard to mold their reality to something other people can relate to. This is false marketing. It has nothing to do with your happiness and well being. This doesn’t do anyone any good because people can smell insincerity. Stop caring what people think.
Trust your right to speak up
Adding voice to your plan carries it forward faster. When nothing about this year is the same as the last, don’t’ get stunned into silence. It’s tempting to just put your head down and work hard, but as awkward as it feels, sometimes you have to speak up about the direction you’re choosing.
As soon as you step up to your true vision, you’ll notice the naysayers in your peripheral vision. No one knows what’s going to happen, but there sure seem to be a lot of people proclaiming that they do and oversharing in desperation.
There’s room for many more new voices right now.
Now that everything’s different, you have as much a say in what will happen as anyone else. In uncertain times, everyone’s looking around for a leader to tell them what to do, and who to follow. If you have an idea about your industry, your community, or your way of living, please speak up. This is your moment.
Are you here to lead and serve? To offer inspiration by your determination to create something good out of 2020? Or are you here to follow and take what you get?
Times are changing
Shifts in the world call certain people to action. This is how we evolve; it’s how history is made. You may be rewarded or persecuted for it. (Remember Exhibit A: There are no guarantees.) However, some practices will help you hone your vision so that at least you’ll know it’s an authentic path you’re choosing.
Ten practices that strengthen your vision
Keep a healthy distance from the media.
Obsession with media, including social media, clouds your headspace. If you’re serious about creating and pursuing your vision, then do the right thing — turn off your device now and then and think for yourself. Maybe read something different, take a walk, cross the border and into the city, or vice versa. This will change your life.
Acknowledge complexity.
Deep-seated dichotomy kills culture. A belief in only two solutions, two sides of an issue, two types of people, etc. produces fear. Enrich your life with the gift of complexity. Acknowledgment of nuance is a prerequisite to success; in embracing diversity and accepting that there are many ways to solve a problem, you “trust your peripheral vision,” as that wise woman said. This makes for fertile ground for original ideas like yours.
Pursue self-awareness.
Remember that most people are not as real/happy/confident/rich/fit as they seem online. Confusing your vision with someone else’s just wastes so much time and only brings pain in the end. There’s a lot of noise out there. It’s great that we have access to a multitude of people and opinions, thanks to the Internet, but are you following THEIR vision? Remember that businesses on social media are doing business. They may care about you on some level, but they’re not coming home to you at the end of the day, so keep things in perspective.
Never try to understand crazy people.
Don’t try to make sense of the way some people act in the world, let alone why they get so much attention. These are mysteries that fall outside of your vision quest. The loudest voices are often the most distracting and negative, and will only pull you further from your vision.
Understand that close personal relationships don’t necessarily exist to further your vision.
We need people who are close to us. Family and friends (usually) love us and want to protect us. But if someone close to you constantly tugs you off course from the direction your head and heart are pointing; it doesn’t mean you must cut them out of your life. Just don’t share your vision with that person. It’s that simple, and it’s perfectly fine. As your vision becomes clearer, boundaries will become natural.
Start your day right.
Sleeping repairs your body and mind. If you read any self-help articles at all, you already know that mornings set the tone for everything that follows. So if you wake up and check your phone first thing, you’re already failing. Stop the stupidity! (I’m talking to myself now.) It’s very popular to talk about morning routines these days. Morning pages, workouts, walks in the morning sunshine, meditation, stretching… Find one that works for you. If you must grab your phone first thing, study something that interests you. Photography, space exploration, art, literature. Anything but the news. Anything but social media. Seriously… anything.
Own your health.
We all have some control over our health. You don’t need to run a marathon or benchpress your weight to be the picture of health. Most people know when they feel good. Don’t ignore your body. Gauge your levels of energy and well being; you need them now.
Open your eyes.
Displaced reality is a huge problem these days. There’s enough negativity, violence, and genuine tragedy out there. Please don’t take it on and pretend your world is worse than it is. You can appropriate someone’s pain as well as their treasure. Avoid it. We all have our private heartaches, but when the sun rises, face the day and see what’s true in your life. Chances are it’s something you can work with.
Watch your money.
While you’re crafting your life to fit your new vision in 2020, be careful not to overspend. Start to ask yourself what you want and need, and what you can do without. Without going all austere, it’s time to protect what you have and increase your wealth in any way possible. A genuine vision for your life post-2020 might involve downsizing, or getting serious about your side hustle. (It also means you should occasionally indulge in something that makes your heart truly sing.)
Get comfortable with discomfort.
Don’t let the status quo determine how life should be from now on. Changing your lifestyle hurts for a second, but the sacrifice is often necessary as you focus on your plan. You may even learn to enjoy the pain just a little.
The challenge is to mark a spot in the future and place one foot in front of the other, aware of turmoil around you, but knowing your path.
The risk in trusting your vision
It’s not your community’s vision. It’s not your parents’ vision. It’s not your children’s vision. It’s your vision. You’re taking a huge risk in pursuing it. You risk alienating others and being viewed as crazy, single-minded, or worse, a threat to the community.
Yet, we need people with a vision right now. At know I do. Keeping a connection with others while staying strong in your conviction has never been more difficult. When others are fearful and beleaguered, it takes quiet determination to tune out the noise.
Here’s a promise: I trust that what you decide for yourself and the people who depend on you, is the best for everyone. In this way, we all evolve and move forward.
Take care of your vision. Trust it. And I’ll trust mine.