Mentorship, friends, investments, education and what divides the 1% from everyone else

I grabbed three sections of my newest book, Be Obsessed or Be Average, to highlight some very important topics that a lot of struggling income earners don't take seriously. There is a reason some people make it to the 1% or higher and why some don't. And whether you like it or not, it's the truth. Just ask any millionaire you have connections with.

MENTOR UP

It’s worth it to work with a coach or someone who can take you to another level. I have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars a year buying someone’s time to help me get to another level and push me to reach my full potential. At this time I have two coaches, one whose job is to get me connected with other big players and another who is able to point out my blind spots in my career and life.

I need to surround myself with people I trust and respect who think large and who can help me get to where I want to go. You think you can run only so fast, but get a stopwatch out and get someone pulling for you (a cheerleader), and you will do more than you thought possible. It can’t hurt to have someone else pulling for you and rooting for you and, yes, even pushing you. My mentors and coaches have been invaluable to me.

REACH UP FOR NEW FRIENDS

Nothing inspires me more than surrounding myself with people who have achieved more than I have and meeting new people. Whatever you have to do to make new friends and new connections, just make sure you are reaching up—not sideways and not down. Don’t just be friends with a banker in your town—make sure you know the most successful banker in your town, and the most successful lawyer, the most successful insurance guy, the most successful businessperson, the politically connected. And then keep reaching up. Know the woman who is called the most successful Realtor in your city or the guy your city newspaper calls “entrepreneur of the year.” These are the people who must be in your network.

Also, leave your home and join new clubs. Get involved with charities and give to them at levels that make others take notice. And attend events where power collects. I recently went to a J.P. Morgan conference in Miami. The net worth in the room was one-quarter of a trillion dollars. I knew I was in the right room; just being there over lunch opened me up to new possibilities and fueled my obsessions.

It is so easy to hang with the same people and justify it (“They’re like family”), but it is vital to keep evolving. Also, I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets bored with the same old people and their same old stories (and I am sure they get sick of hearing mine too).

INVEST IN EDUCATION

If I have done one thing right to keep fueling my obsession, it has been continuing to invest in my own personal education and development.

When I was twenty-five, I invested $3,000 in learning how to become a sales professional. That decision was responsible for my first business. Today I spend almost 10 percent of my time and income on training programs, conferences, coaches, books, and more. It might seem like a lot to invest thirty-six days a year and 10 percent of my income in making myself better, but I think not; I am worth it. I refuse to be stupid. I refuse to not know. I refuse to make excuses that I don’t have time or I am too busy. The best make time to ensure they continue to be the best. Regardless of how well I do in life or business, I know I can always learn more.

Most people don’t make time for more learning because their previous educational experiences proved to be a waste of time. Education has a totally different outcome when you get to choose what you are learning and know what you need to learn to improve yourself. And remember, time is no longer an excuse because the obsessed make time, not excuses.

And if you want to step up and get into the 1% invest in your education, mentorship and coaching here.

Be great,

GC

Grant Cardone is an American entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, speaker, motivator and online sales training expert. Cardone is a respected, highly regarded master salesperson whose passion is to teach people how to sell themselves, their products and services regardless of economic climate. His books, audio packages and seminars provide people of all professional backgrounds with the practical tools necessary to build their own economies towards the path to true freedom.

“Success is your duty, obligation, responsibility."