Signal vs Noise

Kieran Blake
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Understanding the values delivered, by turning your back to the trends.

I’m presuming that you’re reading this with an awesome idea in your head, something that you’d love to stand on a rooftop and shout about. Or maybe you’re already working on something that you believe will change the world 🌍

I meet many up and coming entrepreneurs who “ride the wave” of trends with big ambitions to get to the next big thing before they’re out-worked by competitors. That’s all great..but if innovation has taught me one thing, it’s that looking between the cracks identifies a lot more than the wall does..

When it comes to business, and I mean business, not the glitzy / glam suggestion of x5 million pound funding and a dream team of go-getters all driving towards the same goal, but instead, the blood / sweat / tears / toe-curling / mental-health affecting type of business..the trends mean fuck all. Not one idea is unique, it’s the perspective of the individual executing that idea which makes it unique. Facebook vs MySpace / Netflix vs Blockbuster / Walt Disney vs Paramount ..the list continues.

In many of these scenarios, listening to the noise will set you in a specific direction, which works for some, but those driven by signals have been studying that noise for months maybe even years beforehand — the execution may be slower but when its time, it’s time. The old saying of 'Trusting your gut' is what trusting the signal is all about. Some people are affected by a signal years before it becomes noise, the key is to find YOUR signal. You may have amazing ideas, but without a signal, a calling, a propeller, you could end up being the guy who attends hundreds of seminars, workshops and meetings being pushed, pulled, dragged and prodded by the noise everyone else is hyper about. Instead of being the person that understands his or her signal, and attends the same events with an unshakeable “ten toes down” type persona — confident, approachable, curious and observant.

It may be obvious that I freestyled this post, but its been something that I’ve needed to get off of my chest for a while. If you obtained even the slightest bit of value from it — hit that clap button or leave a comment and let me know why it did/didn’t work for you.

If you’re a signaller, let me know the moment you realised it was all or nothing. If you’re someone who chases or creates the noise, let me know why that’s your fit. Both sides can be successful, I just believe the signallers have a competitive advantage. Period.

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Kieran Blake

Aspiring Innovator. Design Thinker. Post Graduate Geek.

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