When the Noise Stops — by Dan Lynn

By Dan Lynn

Some friends of mine were commodity brokers in New York. One day I went to visit them, and they took me to a booth that looked down over the trading floor. It was pretty amazing to see — the floor was absolutely buzzing. Brokers shouting, flashing hand signals, running between the pits. Pure organized chaos. And they piped all the sound from the floor up into the booth, so you didn't just see the energy, you felt it. It was electric.

Then the closing bell rang. The trading day ended — and someone cut the speakers to the booth. In an instant, the roar became total silence. Nothing.

That silence is exactly what it felt like after I sold my business.

One day you're in the middle of the action — needed, important, making an impact, the noise all around you. The next day, the speakers get cut. Silence. Going from everything to nothing that fast is jarring — a "I used to be somebody" feeling. I've since learned it's incredibly common for type A, high-achieving people when they sell a company or retire. So common it even has a name. But at the time, all I knew was the silence.

Most people love the silence. But if you're wired for the action, know that it's coming. Awareness is half the battle — line up your next source of purpose before the bell rings, so the silence doesn't catch you off guard. And reach out to friends or colleagues who have gone through it before. Or feel free to reach out to me. I'd be happy to help you think through it.