Should you be an open book or move in silence regarding major life decisions? The sentiment behind this topic might be controversial for some, and I can respect that not everyone will agree.
However, I strongly advocate moving in silence for various reasons—many of which I’ll share in this article.
I can personally attest to how powerful it can be for removing unnecessary obstacles while pursuing your goals. I’ve made it a regular practice when navigating change and transition in my own life.
Whether you choose to heed the advice or not, I hope that, at the very least, it can offer fresh perspectives and insights where there might not have otherwise been.
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of moving in silence, including what it means, why you should consider it, and five tips for moving in silence while pursuing your goals to increase your odds of success in seeing them through to completion.
Let’s dive in.
What Does it Mean to Move in Silence?
Whether it be a job opportunity, a cross-country move, or a decision to start your own business, moving in silence means keeping your vision, plans, and progress to yourself as you work toward achieving personal and professional objectives.
It requires you to work quietly as you execute your ideas or keep details of your plans from friends and family until they’ve been solidified.
Why You Should Move in Silence
We live in a world where it seems customary to openly share the details of our lives, whether on social media, in social and professional settings, or through some other form of communication.
The reality is that no one should feel obligated to share the specifics of their lives with anyone who isn’t directly impacted by the outcome.
In most circumstances, it’s best to keep things to yourself, letting the finished product speak for itself. Here are some reasons why:
Protect Your Vision
It’s hard enough to muster up the courage and motivation to pursue a dream or vision for your life without being forced to contend with disapproval or judgment from others.
Deciding to move in silence can help you hold firm to your vision and excitement about the future without allowing outside influences to come in and project their fears and insecurities onto you.
Allowing outside influences into your plans before you’ve had a chance to bring them to fruition can cause you to second-guess yourself and potentially give up altogether.
Eliminate Distractions
While things are going on in our lives that we’re happy to share with others, it’s important to discern those things that would be best kept to yourself.
As you venture out of your comfort zone to embark on a new journey or make life-altering decisions that feel right for you, a significant amount of diligence and focus will be required.
Moving in silence will allow you to avoid the excessive noise from people constantly checking on your progress, asking questions, and potentially instilling fear and self-doubt.
Choosing not to speak prematurely about your plans will provide you the time and space you need to gain clarity, strategize, and execute without the added pressure from others.
It’s important to realize that not everyone will understand or approve of your decisions, nor do they have to.
As long as you approve, that’s all that is required to move forward with what you want to do with your life.
Not Everyone Wants to See You Win
As much as we want to see the best in people and believe that everyone’s intentions for us are pure, the reality is that this isn’t the case.
Not everyone wants to see you pursue and accomplish your goals, especially when they’ve been too afraid to do the same with theirs.
While you might think it necessary to share your plans, consider that there will be those privately hoping to see you fail.
Whether it be due to a lack of confidence in your abilities or a result of their own insecurities, not everyone wants to see you win in life.
Since it can be challenging to determine who is genuinely for you, staying silent about what you have going on can help protect your plans from those who don’t have your best interest at heart.
Resisting the need to seek validation from others and moving in silence can be essential to your success.
Protect Your Energy
Many of us have lost sight of just how valuable silence can be.
We live in a world of commotion, where our daily routines are bombarded with responsibilities and distractions.
Protecting your energy from external noise by moving in silence can help keep you grounded and focused, and most importantly, it can help you remain optimistic when self-doubt tries to creep in and throw you off course.
4 Tips to Help You Move in Silence
Understanding that it may be a difficult concept to implement if it’s a complete shift from what you’re used to, here are four tips to help you move in silence.
Don’t Overshare
Avoid the temptation to overshare with family, friends, colleagues, and associates to help shield yourself from the potential judgment, unsolicited advice, and opinions of those around you.
Maintaining a sense of privacy regarding aspects of your life you value is a sign of maturity and wisdom.
No one is entitled to the details of your life. This is especially true regarding your emotions, intimate relationships, finances, significant life changes, or personal and professional goals.
Make a habit of being selective about the information you share, and it’ll be much easier to move in silence when pursuing your larger goals.
Protect Your Goals & Ambitions
Deciding to take action toward your goals can be exciting, and you might instinctively want to tell someone.
However, it’s not always in your best interest to do so if you want to give yourself the best chance at achieving them.
No matter how hard it may be to contain your excitement, remain disciplined in protecting your ideas, and be mindful not to make premature announcements.
Take Time to Disconnect
When pursuing personal or professional goals, it’s essential to cut out distractions whenever possible so you can focus on building the momentum needed for success.
Deliberately setting aside time to disconnect from scrolling social media, browsing the web, or socializing with friends will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the work that needs to be done.
Additionally, by disconnecting, you can relieve yourself of the pressure to compare your journey with others who might be further along.
Find a Support System
Moving in silence doesn’t require you to tackle things alone or live in fear that no one in your life can be trusted.
It’s more about protecting your most valued thoughts and ideas and not allowing anyone to rob you of their potential before you’ve even had a chance to try to make them a reality.
A small support system of like-minded people you can trust and who encourage you while offering constructive feedback can be beneficial. With the right support system, there should be no signs of manipulation, jealousy, judgment, or criticism—only mutual support and admiration for a willingness to live on your terms.
Final Thoughts
Moving in silence is a form of self-care that allows you to balance staying true to yourself and giving the best of yourself to others.
As you work in silence, eliminating the need to seek outside validation, you provide an ideal environment for distraction-free reflection, planning, and implementation.
You can build, make mistakes, reconstruct, and try again as many times as necessary without the additional pressure you might feel knowing others are watching and waiting to see if you succeed or fail.
Free yourself of any need or obligation to publicly share the details of your life and be content with letting the final result speak for itself.
