I want you to think of someone you admire.
It could be someone you admire professionally, as a person, or for the way they live their life.
Have a good think.
Keep going …
Ok, that’s enough.
Now, I guarantee that behind that person you’re thinking of, you’ll find years of hard work, practice, mistakes made, and the patience and consistency to keep keeping on. In other words, they are not who they are just by chance.
It’s also likely that this person is older than you. With more time and experience under their belt.
These are the types of people that I try to learn from and be guided by. People that have been where I want to go and have been there for an extended period, ruling out any doubt of luck or good fortune.
These are the types of people I listen to.
I’d encourage you to do the same.
It might sound like common sense, however, finding the right people for you can prove challenging. I know I have certainly struggled to find people that I resonate with and trust to be led by. It’s a big decision. One that can have a major impact on your life and consume much of your precious time and energy.
That’s why you should be very hesitant to listen to anyone about anything without doing your own research. I am no exception.
Nowadays, it is quite easy to broadcast opinions with very little merit behind them. Hidden by the noise and façade of a social profile. Whilst it is amazing that we now have access to information and people that we never did before, we are now faced with the task of sifting through the haystack to find the needle if you will. Or, in other words, ‘seeing through all of the bullshit.’ A task that is only becoming more and more difficult.
I extend this beyond the online world to the real world. It appears many have started to hide behind their words there also. Including myself from time to time. So again, it’s important to do your own research and focus on the actions rather than words.
I’ve fallen into this trap far too many times. Trusting in the words of someone, only to come out the other end worse off or stuck in the same spot. Not the greatest feeling.
The thing about being human, is that we all rely on each other. It is not a one player game. And so, we need to seek information and knowledge from others. It is not something we can go without. Therefore, I am not suggesting shutting off from the opinions and advice of others altogether, rather that we need to choose wisely when we do so. To listen carefully.
When choosing who to listen to, these are some things that I consider:
Have they done what they say they’ve done?
Do they have an undeniable stack of evidence to suggest that they’re speaking truthfully? Do they honour their word?
What are their life experiences?
What has shaped them into who they are today? Where did they grow up? What have they done previously?
What are their motives?
What’s in it for them? What are they driven by?
Do they seem like a high-character individual?
Are they trustworthy? Are they well respected amongst their peers?
Learning from others is invigorating for me. I seem to always be seeking more knowledge and insight. It’s just about making sure that I’m learning from the right people with the right information. These questions have helped me to do that.
You might have completely different questions depending on what you value. It’s important to have some, nonetheless, as the noise only continues to get louder.
I say all of this, to ask the following:
Who are you listening to?
Jack Macdonald 