Advice Matters

Do you view yourself as someone who seeks out advice? Someone who is committed to uncovering Blind Spots? If you are, I commend you, because this is how high achievers get results—gleaning wisdom from those who have come before them and have more experience.

 

Open or Closed Minded

Some people choose to navigate through life with a closed mind and with a “know it all” attitude. I think we can all get caught up in this trap sometimes, because it feels good to be seen as intelligent. But is this wise? No.

We all have limited knowledge and experience, which means we are going to face Blind Spots. We can’t uncover these Blind Spots until we humble ourselves enough to seek out advice from someone else. This can be someone who has a significant depth and breadth of knowledge far beyond ours, or simply someone on our same level, just with an outside perspective.

 

Which side of the advice spectrum are you on?

The people who believe they already have all the answers play it safe and stick to the middle of the road. Your goal should be to live at the opposite end of the spectrum. Individuals who land on this end constantly seek improvement, advice, and opportunities to clear up Blind Spots. Who do you think achieves more success?

Keep in mind, valuing advice is important; yet people often underestimate the amount of strategizing that goes into embracing a lifestyle of seeking advice from others.

 

Revisit Your Belief Window

One big problem I repeatedly encounter has to do with your Belief Window, or your internal map of how you view the world. Many intelligent people develop highly accurate internal maps, yet many fail to revisit and revise these maps, especially as they age.

The world is always changing. Although this statement seems obvious, many fail to realize how this translates to their Belief Window. I recently stumbled across the following quote by M. Scott Peck, author of the book The Road Less Traveled:

The more clearly we see the reality of the world, the better equipped we are to deal with the world. The less clearly we see the reality of the world— the more our minds are befuddled by falsehood, misperceptions and illusions—the less able we will be to determine correct courses of action and make wise decisions.”

Peck’s message is simple, yet powerful, yet far too many people seem to be ignoring this truth. In order to avoid such common mistakes, you must operate strategically in virtually all areas of your life … including receiving advice.

 

9 Tips for Seeking Out Advice

Here are nine simple ways that you can actually get more intentional about seeking out advice in your life at a higher level. Let me challenge you to pick two of the tips here that resonate most with you, and find ways to work them into your life this week.

1. Find a Quality Mentor
   Find a quality mentor to help you in EACH area of your life where you wish to excel. For example, I relied heavily on three mentors to assist me in raising my kids for the past twenty years. My mentors have raised successful daughters ranging from ten to fifteen years older than my own.
2. Hire a Business Coach
   Hire the best coach you can afford. I’ve used the same coach for 30+ years, and I cannot express how much I appreciate his efforts. He has positively impacted my business as well as my personal life.
3. Choose Trusted Colleagues
   Carefully choose trusted colleagues, and do whatever it takes to keep them around. People who are smart, sharp, and on top of their game deserve your time and energy. Jack Furst (my RESULTS Center partner) and I often invest hours on the phone discussing various subjects to sharpen our perspectives and thinking, and to discover new ways to positively influence each other’s future actions.
4. Watch Videos
   We are at a time in history when technology is everywhere, and there are so many valuable resources out there on YouTube, Vimeo, and other video platforms. If you don’t already watch TED Talks, they have over 3,000 videos that can help broaden your thinking.
5. Listen to Podcasts
   When you are driving, working out, or getting ready for the day, podcasts are the perfect outlet for learning on the go. Some of the best content being produced today is being produced as a podcast.
6. Take Online Courses
   Successful people don’t stop learning after school. In partnership with SUCCESS Academy, we created an online course called RESULTS Faster! that includes an eight-module training plus three bonus trainings, all focused on how to achieve results … faster. You can complete this course on your own timeline, because once you sign up, you receive access to all of the resources.
7. Attend Seminars + Conferences + Luncheons
   Seminars and conferences can offer a significant amount of information in a short amount of time. They are also excellent for networking. We’ve been hosting a few luncheons lately for those in the DFW area. If you’re looking for ways to become a more strategic seller to gain extraordinary results, join us for our September 18, 2019, luncheon. If you want to learn how to make effective presentations that will unlock personal and professional success, join us for our October 16, 2019, luncheon.
8. Pay Your Team Well
   Pay your colleagues and employees appropriately, according to how hard they work for you. My CPA is rewarded handsomely, because his work is spectacular. He often sits at home on Saturday nights reading millions of words in IRS code, and he has truly mastered his profession.
9. Self-Reflect
   Engage in self-reflection often and study your own patterns of success and failure.

I have chosen to adopt these nine principles into my Belief Window. I challenge you to do the same.

 

Giving Advice

As a high achiever, you not only want to receive advice from your trusted Life Team; you also want to learn how to give advice.

Those who conduct themselves strategically never cease to expose the true nature of reality. In turn, these individuals will continue to uncover Blind Spots and be able to provide others with advice that will ultimately lead to their continued success.

If you have read Advice Matters, you understand the value of providing others with accurate and relevant advice. This is also a skill that takes honing. If you are looking for an additional resource on giving and receiving advice, be sure to read my eBook of Advice Matters for free here.