It is often said, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” When defining your personal and professional success it is critical that you focus on who you know!
Are you surrounding yourself with winners?
Are you surrounding yourself with people who can help you achieve your goals?
Are you developing relationships that align with your purpose and passion?
Are you connecting with people who understand what is necessary to be successful and are able to support your success?
Do the right people know who you are, what your business provides, and the value you can bring to a customer?
Success is defined by your purpose, your action, and your attitude; however your success can and will be limited by the relationships that you create and maintain both personally and professionally.
Here is a great story that reinforces this concept:
Swen Nater an orphan from Holland moved to the United States when he was three years old. He grew up in an American home and as a high school junior; he stood 6′ 11″. One would think Swen Nater was destined for basketball, but he was so gangly and awkward that he didn’t make his high school team until his senior year. Instead of going to college after graduation, like some of his teammates, he went to work at a garage as a mechanic.
However, when a local community college coach convinced the towering mechanic to give basketball another shot several years later, his body had matured. Over the next two years Swen became one of the best junior-college basketball players in the country. He was honored with Community College All American his sophomore year. With two years of eligibility left, several smaller colleges became interested in Swen and each offered him an opportunity to shine.
But his coach decided to take a shot at a higher opportunity. He called John Wooden whose current UCLA team was in the midst of one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports. He said “Coach, next year you have a guy coming in that everybody in America believes will be the greatest player to ever play college basketball: Bill Walton who towered at 7′ tall. The next biggest guy you have on your team is 6′ 9″ inches tall. In practice, Bill Walton is not going to get better because he’s not going to have any competition so give my guy a chance.”



