Smarter People

There’s an old adage that has always resonated with me: “If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.” As someone who was never considered gifted and talented when it came to academics, I haven’t been in this “wrong room” very often. But I have often thought about how I can relentlessly pursue conversations with people smarter than myself to become smarter (see my Intentional Performers Podcast). It’s a simple concept really. I find that simply by osmosis I get smarter when I am around smart people. When I am with them, I open up, remain curious, and typically have a growth mindset geared toward learning.

The formula is:

Smart People + Me = Smarter Me.

Let’s change our focus from my view to yours. Perhaps you are often the smartest person in the room. It’s a fair hypothesis given that you are smart enough to read this weekly newsletter! What do you do? How do you manage yourself to ensure that you aren’t always in the wrong room? What ecosystems can you get involved with to challenge you to level up? Iron sharpens iron.

We all enter rooms. It’s important to be aware of the role we play in that room. If we find ourselves constantly giving, sharing, or preaching, perhaps it’s time to find some new rooms.