Signal vs Noise

Go bookmark James A. Owen’s blog.

Done? Good.

He calls his blog “Everything is Signal.” If you’re familiar with the concept of signal to noise, then that title is intriguing.

If not, here’s how to think about it: Think of listening to a radio station. If it’s very staticky, then the signal to noise ratio is bad. If it’s crystal clear, there is no detectable noise, then the signal to noise ratio is very good.

When signal to noise is applied to one’s life, there is a seemingly wise practice of tuning out the noise. That is, avoiding the nonsense, the criticism, the LOLcats and memes, etc. To focus instead on high-value content and people.

In his blog post What is Signal, James offers an amazing perspective shift.

How much of what you broadcast is noise vs. signal?