“A smart man knows everything. A wise man knows everybody."
— James McPartland
If life is a team sport, then who we have on our team makes all the difference when we look up at our own life's scoreboard. If we are honest, the path to knowledge leads us to realize all that we truly do not know. Like any great team, players that excel tend to master one position. While we may play several positions in our life such as spouse, parent, friend, employer, employee, student, teacher, artist, and the like, seldom are we able to focus on mastering only one.
We are literally surrounded by experts, masters, craftsmen, specialists, and thought leaders in some of the most critical areas of life. We can cultivate our own “life team” by recruiting mentors, advisors, colleagues, and subject matter authorities who can accelerate our learning in the most important areas of our lives. In turn, we can do the same for others by focusing on continuous improvement in the categories of our life that inspire us the most.
It has been said that who we are around is who we become. Look closely at your associations. Are the people you are spending the most time with the type of people that will help you to elevate your position in the great game of life? It could be time to try out for a new team or to recruit new players to the one you are currently on. Either way, there is no need to be the smartest. Perhaps the most fulfilling position to strive for is that of the wise one.
