I imagine we’ve all heard the adage the failure that follows always being the smartest person in the room.
If we surround ourselves with people that are at a higher level, our chances of elevating ourselves increases.
Read that… We increase our potential. Raise the ceiling.
The implications of that are HUGE.
To be genuinely effective, it requires one more element: The willingness to learn, to stumble, to be humble enough to listen, analyze, absorb.
In the early stages this can be more simple.
If we want to learn to fight, and have minimal training to this point, we can often find others at a higher level than us.
We seek them out.
When we find them, there’s an obvious student to teacher relationship.
That relationship lens itself to being open minded.
As we begin to see success, we tend to internally blur that relationship.
As we begin to see ourselves as teachers ourselves, often, we have difficulty possessing the identity of student.
In this modern age, as we give ourselves the “influencer” status, we can fall victim to the mindset that “we can’t show vulnerability by admitting we’re wrong or still learning.”
Yet, that’s the exact path that will genuinely lead us to being world class coaches, mentors, parents, and people.
The moment we put ourselves in a position to be the smartest person in the room, we have begun to halt our potential…and in turn, the potential of those that we lead.
Embrace the roll of the student.
Connect with great coaches in and out of your focus.
Connection creates elevation.
Go forth and be awesome!
Aaron Jannetti 