That internal track you keep telling yourself about why you can’t do this, or why that can’t work out – it’s noise. We are all guilty of it, but perpetuating the drama and fake barriers are holding you back. Not only with your career but also your life.

There are real things that can get in your way – true roadblocks or challenges that will trip you up on your journey. But most of that BS “preventing” you from delivering on a goal, going after something you want, owning up to your own limitations – that’s all noise. And it’s time we turn the noise levels down people!

Acknowledging the Volume

Most of us can dig deep and admit, begrudgingly to ourselves, when we have manufactured excuses for not doing something. It’s just that we don’t usually dig deep enough. So let this be your own personal bullsh*t gauge.

If your thought process has the word “BUT” anywhere in it, it’s noise. Stop trying to excuse your way out of it and think that your reason is exempt from this, it’s not. Still not convinced? How about these examples:

1. I would have applied for that position BUT I don’t have all of the qualifications.

This one is my own personal biggest pet peeve. When I hear this noise, I cringe. I’ve said it before, but NO ONE has 100% of the job description qualifications. When a job description is created, it’s done with “dream fit” scenario in mind.

Stop lying to yourself – if you have 70% or more of the qualifications in the job description, then you are a match. APPLY. It is YOUR responsibility to show the hiring manager why that 70% is more than enough, not the other way around.

I will admit, I cannot relate to this particular example, at all. To cut yourself out of the running before even applying – huh? How would you ever be considered if you don’t throw your hat in the ring? But I have friends and clients, in which this thought is a driving factor. I am not sure if it’s based in fear of rejection or of achievement, but this thought is NOISE. Plain and simple. Apply for that damn job already, and give yourself a chance to actually fail or succeed – stop making excuses before the fact.

2. I would follow up with hiring manager BUT I don’t know who it is.

Ugh – I have officially shared one proven method of finding the hiring manager (and I know that there are other methods out there). The days of applying for a job online and sitting back hoping that your resume finds its way to the right person, are over – they have been over for a few years.

It is your job to get noticed – to stand out in a crowd of qualified applicants. Yes your resume *can* help you do that, but it’s not a fail-proof method.

This is noise – you clearly don’t want to do the work it takes to get you your dream job. Or you’re afraid you’ll be rejected by them. Either way, stop using this excuse. You can easily find the hiring manager – so with this noise, you are saying that you don’t really want that job. Capice?

3. The interview went well BUT I didn’t get the job.

If the interview went well, you would have received an offer. Not 100% of the time, but more often than not, if you were qualified enough to get an interview in the first place, and you weren’t asked to continue along in the process… this is an excuse (aka – a story you are telling yourself).

It’s never an easy pill to swallow, not being chosen for a job we really want. It’s an ego blow, it’s depressing, and it’s easy to pass the blame along wrapped up in noise. But you aren’t learning and improving if you are doing this – and more importantly, you’re lying to yourself.

Instead of reacting to it as failure, it can be one of the best (and most effective), learning opportunities. There is usually a turning point in the process in which the hiring manager makes a conscious decision that you are not a fit. Dig deeper into the experience and figure out where that moment was – and then learn how to do better next go.

Now What?

Don’t let one experience derail you from learning and growing… and going after what you want! That’s the ultimate noise – when your internal excuses paralyze you from moving forward at all.

Noise is our way to keep us safe – from preventing us from exploring our boundaries, from potentially failing, or from succeeding beyond our wildest dreams. You have to turn down the noise to think clearly – so stop dwelling in the BS excuses, and acknowledge them for what they are. Then move forward.