Check 2: Signal vs. Noise—The Art of the Pivot
We live in the loudest era of human history.
Between the relentless pings of our phones, the weight of societal expectations, and the "social media dress-ups" I mentioned in my last post, it is easy to feel like we are drowning in information but starving for meaning.
If you look at my path, it’s easy to get lost in the "noise." I started with a degree in Microbiology from the University of Benin. I moved into Photography, becoming certified by the Indian Institute of Photography. I’ve earned recognition badges from the FAO, completed programs focused on the SDGs, and also graduated from the ALX Virtual Assistant program.
To some, that looks like a series of pivots. To others, it looks like a "confused" career. But today, I want to share a reality check: Every one of those steps was a data point leading to my greatest strength.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about this through the lens of my data science studies. In that world, we deal with something called "Noise." Noise consists of the random, unimportant data points that obscure the "Signal"- the actual truth you are trying to find. If you don’t filter out the noise, your model fails.
Life works the same way. If we don’t filter out the noise of the world, our "reality" becomes a distorted version of who we actually are.
Identifying the Noise
The noise is the pressure to be everywhere at once. It’s the "loud" success stories that make our own quiet progress feel like failure. It’s the constant need to project a version of ourselves that is polished and perfect - a version that fits into society's script rather than one that fulfills us.
Even for me, at first, this felt a bit contradictory and confusing. Walk closely with me and I hope we can get clarity together.
When the noise gets too loud, we stop hearing the Signal. The signal is the quiet question in your heart, the unspoken struggle that needs attention, and the authentic passion that doesn't need an audience to feel valid.
The Reality of the Pivot
I’ll be honest, it hasn't always been easy. Several times, more than i can count, I considered quitting. On some ocassions I actually did quit and became a dropout from ALX. At the time, that felt like "noise." It felt like a failure. But standing here today as a graduate, that experience fills me with so much joy.
Why? Because my experience taught me that resilience isn't just about moving forward; it’s about having the courage to try again. I wasn't just "trying things out" during those years; I was building competence. I was learning to find the signal in the noise of my own life.
The Intersection: Why my "Confused" Career is Actually my Greatest Strength
But I’ve realized they are just two halves of the same whole.
In Business: When I’m implementing sales policies for retail partners, I’m not just "selling hardware." I’m putting technology into the hands of entrepreneurs. That is the literal infrastructure for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
In Advocacy: When I negotiate partnerships for education, I don’t just talk about "charity." I use my business head, market intelligence and resource mobilization, to ensure our impact is data-driven and sustainable.
I take that exact same business-first mindset into my role at HEdEF (Humane Education and Empowerment Foundation). When I sit down with corporate partners to talk about SDG 4 (Quality Education), I don’t just bring a "charity" mindset. I bring market intelligence and resource mobilization.
I’ve realized that I don’t have to choose a world. I use the head of a business specialist to serve the heart of an advocate.
Now, do those pivots make sense to you?
I probably need to break it down more here;
The Sustainability Ecosystem
The SDGs are a circle for a reason; they are interconnected.
Business provides the tools and the growth.
Education builds the human capacity.
Advocacy ensures that in the midst of all that growth, no one is left behind.
I definitely don’t have to choose a world. My work in retail gives me the market insights to make my foundation work more strategic, and my work at HEdEF gives my commercial life a higher purpose.
My Signal in the Noise
It’s not a "confused" career path; it’s a sustainability ecosystem built around countless self-doubts, disappointments, and pivots - one could say "breakthrough."
How do we perform a "Reality Check" on our own priorities? I’ve found that the signal usually lives in the "uncomfortable" places I mentioned before:
In the Pivot: Not just the victory, but the moment you realized you had to change course.
In the Service: The work we do when no one is watching, like the small, daily impacts of community advocacy.
In the Harmony: For me, finding the signal often happens when I’m arranging a piece of music, or deeply caught up with 'creative' tasks. The chaos of the world fades, and for a moment, everything is exactly where it should be.
people wonder how a microbiologist-photographer-VA fits in. Here's the signal, might be yours too!
The Scientist in me (Microbiology) understands process and precision.
The Creative in me (Photography) knows how to tell a story that moves people.
The Professional in me (ALX/HEdEF) knows how to manage partnerships and drive economic growth (SDG 8).
To the Early-Career Starter: You are an Asset
If you are currently feeling "all over the place". Maybe you've changed majors, dropped out of a course, or have a degree that doesn't "match" your job, listen to me: Your diversity is your competitive advantage.
The world doesn't need people who only know how to do one thing. It needs people who can bridge worlds. My work in retail gives me market insights; my work at HEdEF gives me purpose. They don’t compete; they collaborate.
Cheers to the Milestones
I’m super excited to show the world what an asset I am, not despite my diverse background, but because of it. Every milestone, every recognition from the FAO, and every completed program has been a building block to the masterpiece I am, and even still becoming.
So, next time you see me, don’t wonder which world I’m in. I’m right where I’m supposed to be: where industry meets impact- That’s where the real change happens.
That’s it for today’s episode of Reality Check with John.
Before you go,
Today’s Reality Check for you - Yes, you 👉
If you stripped away the titles, the social media feeds, and the expectations of others, what would be left? That "remainder" is your signal. That is what actually matters.
The truth is, we don’t always need to do more. Sometimes, we just need to hear more clearly. We need to stop trying to manage the noise and start listening for the truth.
Look at your "scattered" skills. What if they aren't noise? What if they are the secret ingredients to the unique asset you are becoming?
Cheers to the milestones, the accomplishments, and the courage to be different.
Cheers to the bigger ones ahead.
Cheers to the accomplishments that haven't happened yet. 🍻
I’d love to hear from you: In the middle of your busy week, what is one "signal" you’ve discovered that reminded you of what truly matters?
— John Egwakhide Unuane
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