Turn Up The Volume May 2007
Children’s exuberance is often hushed with the admonition, “use your inside voice.” Well- trained children immediately modulate their volume so they’re more acceptable, according to their parents’ societal norms. Even on a playground they’ll be shushed so they’re not overly obnoxious to others playing nearby or, perhaps, to their auditory-overloaded parent. While this may be considered a way to teach good manners, this mild form of repression has deeper repercussions as we grow older, ones that don’t quite support a movement toward greatness.
Well intentioned as it may be, inhibiting exuberance, emotions, ideas, passions, or spontaneity gradually creates an internal predisposition to blending in. The “mature” person is quiet, reflective, soft-spoken and wise; that’s fine, if that’s their authentic disposition. For many, the demand to fit dampens energy, enthusiasm and determination to be or do something different. The philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote, “most men [and women] lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them” (emphasis ours). However, great individuals are not characterized by Thoreau’s description.
What is the alternative? Novelist, Emile Zola answers, “If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud” (emphasis ours). By promoting Zola, we’re not suggesting a change in parenting rules; we live in a communal society where civility is necessary. We need to develop ways for children and adults to learn how to modulate their tone without modulating their lives. Great individuals live life fully and powerfully. They’re not inhibited by internal constraint to modulate the power of their ideas, or their impact on society. They give free reign to their internal and external voice to deliver powerful, passionate, promising ideas that scream to be heard.
The initial societal reaction to someone living “out loud” is to tell them to quiet down. We don’t seem to like those who stand out from the rest of us. This reaction was once necessary for survival. In early civilization, an individual standing out or being too loud could endanger the entire tribe. We no longer need to curb our initial exuberance because the survival imperative doesn’t apply for most of us.
We’d be more honest if we’d simply admit that we feel awkward when someone dares to show their greatness by living out loud. And when we applaud their accomplishments, isn’t there an introspective moment when we realize that we are also capable of such greatness? When that happens, do we accept that challenge or do we create reasons why we cannot achieve greatness?
What does living out loud really mean? Initially, it means setting ourselves free from our own internal censor. We need to silence the voices that warn us not to stand out, not to think differently, not to be noticed. Instead, we need to turn up the volume on our original thoughts, enthusiasm, joy, and passion. This freedom of thought allows for the greatest creativity and expression.
Eventually the “volume” inside will become audible. It’s not that we’ll have unregulated outbursts, but as we feel increasingly free to express what we’re thinking and feeling, we’ll set ourselves aside from grim-faced work warriors. A life, given free reign, demands to be noticed, not ignored and is manifest through enthusiasm, passion, joy and excitement in everything the person does.
Turning up the volume of our lives will also create some challenges for others. As we noted earlier, people tend to distance themselves from and even dislike those who stand out. Essential to our growth and development will be a support network of like-minded individuals who encourage us.
Our lives come with a “mute” button; internal controls that hold us back from standing out. Fortunately we choose how those controls are used. As we move toward realizing our greatness, we must allow the power and volume of our lives free reign. When that happens, there will be no stopping us.
The Greatness ProjectTM is researched and written by:
Scott Asalone & Jan Sparrow
Copyright © ASGMC, Inc. 2007
Consider some of these questions for reflection to assist you in allowing you to live your life “out loud.”
When thinking or acting in an innovative or creative way what are the first negative thoughts that curb your creativity, enthusiasm, or expression of the new concept?
If you find yourself standing out, what goes through your mind that might make you withdraw and retreat?
Examining your initial “muting” thoughts above, rewrite them below so they are encouraging, and supportive of creativity and expression.
Create a way to remind yourself to replace your “muting” internal statements with the encouraging internal statements you have created and repeat them in your mind until they become your initial response to your own creativity and uniqueness.