Why are people more successful than me? Why are people more successful than you?
If you don’t ask this of yourself on a consistent basis, then you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. This is something that I consistently ask myself on any given day. As I look around and I see the strengths and weaknesses of those around me, I always want to take the time to identify the A players that I can learn something from. For example, one of the business coaches on our team, Andrew Blumer, has the ability to bring high energy regardless of the energy of the client that he is coaching. This is essential because when any two forces meet, the stronger one wins. In order to be a successful business coach, I must adapt and learn how to be the stronger force so that I can continue to lead my clients down the proven path. The only reason that I’m able to be aware of this is because I have asked myself, why is Andrew more successful than me? Asking this allows me to begin to analyze the opportunities that I have to improve.
As you begin to assess those people in your life who are, at least by your perspective, more or less successful than you, hopefully you look around you and you see people that are exponentially more successful than you. The truth is that you are the sum total of the five people that you hang around most. What environment are you in? Are you in a place where you are the smartest person in the room? If so, then you have likely hit your ceiling. However, if you look around and realize that the majority of people around you are significantly smarter, more successful, and have gifts, talents, and abilities that you do not, then you are in a great environment that will give you the opportunity to grow and develop and become more successful. This describes exactly the type of environment that I find myself is present as a business coach with Thrive.
Having had the opportunity to be in many different environments throughout my career, it astounds me that, even at the places that I worked where most people would consider it a successful culture, I have never been in an environment like the one that I currently am in. Every day I have no idea who is going to walk through the doors of our offices. One day it might be the book agent for Tim Tebow, Esther Fedorkevich, the next day it might be the mayor of Broken Arrow, Craig Thurmond, or perhaps another day it might be the senior editor of Forbes, Zach O’Malley Greenberg. Additionally, the majority of clients that come to the office that we have the opportunity to business coach have become or are on their way to becoming multimillionaires. Also, if you take the time to look at Clay Clark or Dr. Zoellner, you will quickly see that these are incredibly successful people that have hit their financial goals and some of the different ways. How did I get so lucky to be in this environment?
4 Foundational Factors for Success
As I look at their lives, examine how they interact with people, and begin to question what things that they do each and every day that I can begin to apply to my life so that I can get better, there are four main things that I see that they do that are foundational for success. First, they have a calendar that they have put thought into so that they can always allow their time to be used towards their highest and best use. Second, every morning they create a physical to-do list that they carry with them all day, which allows them to determine exactly what needs to get done. Third, they create S.M.A.R.T. goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-sensitive, and they utilize their calendar and their checklist to work towards these goals. Finally, they are incredibly curious. When I say curious, what I mean is that they are constantly asking questions about everything that they experience. They do not want opinions, they want facts. If someone claims to know something or understand something, they want to know where that information came from. They are learners that are curious about the world and are always looking to increase their knowledge.
For anyone out there who may be reading this, you can get more detailed information on these 4 practices by purchasing Clay Clark’s book, Start Here. It really breaks down each one of these 4 things. I am not going to invest the time right now to break them down, however, I am going to come right back around to the key question of this diary post, why are people more successful than us? Take some time today to have some self-awareness about the environment that you spend your time in. Are you the smartest person in the room? Are you curious about what is going on around you? Are you taking the time to look at those people who have strengths that you can learn from so that you can develop in your weaknesses? If not, then you have the opportunity to start this process today. Additionally, asking these questions is infinitely more effective if you build them upon the foundation of an intentional calendar, creating a daily to do list, and setting smart goals. You’re welcome.
