If it were up to me, this would be a basic course for every year that someone attended school. It would include drills in which people are encouraged to do things that they are not comfortable doing. The successful constantly talk about having people around them who are smarter, brighter, and more creative. It\’s unlikely that you\’ll hear one of them say, “I got here by surrounding myself with more people just like me.” Yet the average person typically spends his or her time with like-minded people or even those who bring less to the table than they can.
Make a habit of “reaching up” in all of your relationships—toward people who are better connected, better educated, and even more successful. These individuals have much more to share than your supposed “equals.” This habit is connected to their willingness to change, challenge tradition, grow, and do what others can\’t fathom. Reach up—never sideways and never down! You must base your decisions on what will be the greatest investment to move you toward your ethical commitment to create success for yourself, your family, and your business. The people with whom you surround yourself will have a great deal to do with whether you achieve your goals—or not. You don\’t want to go horizontal. You want to go up—and you do this by associating yourself with bigger thinkers, bigger dreamers, and bigger players. Black belts don\’t learn new skills from white belts. They can be reminded of the basics, but a white belt cannot take the black belt to a red belt. And you can\’t become a scratch golfer by playing with bogie golfers. You have to interact with people who are better than you. It\’s the only way to become better yourself.
Grant Cardone. “The 10X Rule.”