You might have heard quotes about being the smartest in the room. Maybe you’ve heard people say how much they want that for themselves — they want everyone else to look up to them and strive to be like them. Perhaps you’ve heard the opposite — they want to learn and stay humble. In my opinion, it’s best to NEVER be #1. In this blog, you’ll discover why (and why it matters for you).
Why I’m NEVER the Smartest in the Room
A Need to Grow
If you’re anything like me, then you have an inherent need to grow. The way I look at it, if I’m not growing then I’m missing out on potential — potential opportunities, futures, etc.
At a mastermind conference I attended, one of the guest speakers, Dean Graziosi, explained it in this way:
“What got you here is not going to get you there.”
For me, I think of my children’s books.
The experiences that got me to write I CAN Believe in Myself aren’t the same ones that got me to publish it.
And the experiences that got me to publish my book aren’t the same ones that got it to set a Guinness World Record™.
Then the experiences that got me the record aren’t the same ones that got me to start a publishing company in the middle of a pandemic.
Think of where you are now. What got you here?
Then think of where you want to go. What’s going to get you there?
If you’re the smartest in the room, you won’t learn from those who are more experienced and advanced than you because they won’t be there. Then you’ll be stuck with the resources and ideas you already have (what got you here) and miss out on the resources and ideas you need (what will get you there).
If you dream of writing for children, for example, a creative spirit and a desire to inspire young readers is what got you here. Those things are great, but they alone aren’t the thing that will get you to published & bestselling status. You’ll also need a supportive community, accountability partners, and knowledge of how to publish.
In other words, you’ll need to grow, and the best way to grow is to learn from those more experienced than you (aka the smartest in the room).
You Become Who You Spend Time With
This is why I believe masterminds are the key to achieving: you become who you spend time with.
Whether we realize it or not, the people we spend the most time with have a big impact on who we are and who we become. If you spend time with people who are less knowledgeable or experienced than you, odds are you won’t grow.
FREE MIRROR EXERCISE PRINTOUT
Ready to build your self-esteem? Developing a new discipline is easy with this cheatsheet taped to your mirror.
BUT if you spend most of your time with people who are smarter or more successful than you, you’ll be more likely to reach their level of success. If you’re the smartest in the room, it’s time to change rooms.
What You Focus on Grows
Another teaching point the guest speaker shared was that what you focus on grows. If you want to improve your family relationships, you need to focus on that. And if you want to write a book, you need to focus on writing.
Even better is if you surround yourself with people who can inspire you in that goal. If you’re not the smartest in the room, the mentors around you can remind you of how to grow, helping you to focus on what’s important.
Where to Find the Perfect Group
I highly recommend joining a mastermind group with others who have a bit more experience than you. Masterminds take all shapes and sizes — business masterminds, creative masterminds, self-development masterminds, etc.
For aspiring authors, I offer Publishing Mastermind.
Take note of what you want to grow in and join a mastermind to ensure you’re never the smartest in the room.