To pull yourself up by the bootstraps and forge your own path is noble but hardly does any one practically do it alone. You need other partners, smart hires, advisers, mentors and even stories of people who have already done it before. You can only maximise your strengths and where you fall short, you need others’ strengths to create something truly amazing.
Ask anyone who has achieved anything worthwhile and they will tell you that somewhere along the way they were inspired, encouraged, mentored or lifted toward their succeeding.
Coaches, mentors and advisors keep you accountable. Other smart entreprenuers need equally brilliant but different skill sets help them achieve their goals.
Nobody succeeds alone, any more than a child can grow and learn in isolation. Even the lonely marathon runner has a coach.
So many people have encouraged, inspired and challenged me in my career. Friends, family, successful entrepreneurs, writers and innovators. Seth Godin, Malcom Gladwell, Jeff Goins, Mark Manson, Adam Grant, Hugh MacLeod, Austin Kleon, Cal NewPort, Leo Babauta, James Clear, Maria Popova, James Altucher, Robert Greene, Benjamin Hardy, Angela Duckworth and a lot more amazing people have expanded my understanding of what is possible. Their ideas and work have transformed my thinking, habits and perception about doing meaningful work.
