Hall of Famers, All Stars & Rookies; Who Are You Following?
Most people at the top of their game will tell you they surrounded themselves with positive people who inspired them, influenced them, and sometimes mentored them; people that breathe life into them.
How about you? WHO have YOU hitched your wagon to? Who are you following? Who are you taking advice from? Who’s modeling LIFE for you? All questions that are worth noodling, reflecting and truly understanding. When was the last time you evaluated your life intake?
As a leader, I see many people blindly following others, without thought to what they're following, who they're following, and why they're following. Many are blindly following the media, their neighbor, their coworkers, trends on Twitter, and people who wrongly appear to be worth following …without recognizing if these people ideas are helpful or valuable in reaching their goals.
Let me ask you this: what are your goals? What are the big dreams you have for your life that you're actively pursuing? According to a Harvard Business School study, students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” Of those high-level students, only 3% of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13% had goals, but they weren't in writing; and 84% had NO specific goals at all.
Assuming you have clear, written goals...what about those you're following? Let’s apply the Harvard study odds to them. Chances are most of them have no specific goals at all. If this is the case, and you've hitched your wagon to the wrong people, how are they going to help you meet your goals?
Twitter trends are popular, and your neighbor down the street has a lot of opinions, but does popular opinion make money for you? Does popular opinion move people towards being a better human, thinking bigger, or positively impact people’s lives?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Hitch your wagon to a star." His message means to align yourself with people who have success or potential for greatness. Aligning with, seeking guidance from, and following the stars in your life takes some work. It’s important to give some thought to who you’re following and the influence you give them over your life and daily actions.
My husband's a baseball agent, and he describes three types of stars to hitch your wagon to: Hall of Famers, All-Stars, and Rookies of the Year.
The Hall of Famers are people who've already accomplished what you’re setting out to do. They’ve set massive goals, achieved them, and are now showing others how to do it. They don’t just talk a big game, they’ve done it. I look for people who are leading the life I'm striving for. Some of them I know, but most of them I don't. I read their books, attend their seminars, sign up for their online sources, read their blogs, and follow them on social media.
The All Stars are chasing their dreams. They’re actively setting goals and achieving greatness. They're zigging when everyone else seems to be zagging. They’re doing things differently, and impacting the world in a positive way. All-stars have a vision for their future, and they’re excited about it. They can’t stop dreaming and thinking and creating a path to that vision. Often, they’re inviting people like you and me along, but because their dreams aren't mainstream, your co-worker and your neighbor think they’re a little crazy.
The Rookies are the up and comers. These folks are just starting out, just getting their feet wet, just making themselves known. They're the ones to watch, and if you're one to jump into an opportunity early, you'll identify them by their talent, their passion, and their following. They have people watching. Some are waiting to see a stumble or a failure so they can feel safe in their own skin. In this relationship you might be mentoring but you will also be learning. When you mentor people and help them on their path to success you are becoming a better version of yourself and learning to master what you already know in a way that takes you from average to AMAZING.
I’ve hitched my wagon to many Hall of Famers, many All Stars and many Rookies, both personally and professionally. Some of these folks I know; I have a personal relationship with them, I trust them, and their passion has pulled me in. Others I don’t know at all, but I know their work. There’s a saying that “success leaves clues,” and I follow and recreate the ideas and best practices of successful people I discover through the books they’ve written, the blogs they write, and even the Instagram accounts they’ve created.
It’s important you identify the these folks in your own life, and do what they do. Follow the ones that are going somewhere, have a vision they can clearly communicate, and ones who’ve accomplished the goals you have for yourself. Look for people that have a similar moral compass and live a life that fits with your overall vision. There are tons of folks to choose from but if your following people that have the opposite moral compass or are living a life that is contrary to the ultimate lifestyle you seek, they aren’t a good fit.
If you’re starting your own business, follow someone who has the roadmap to where you’re going. It's also important to spend time ensuring that this list of folks is not only robust but the right people. For example, you don’t want to just look at success. There are plenty of people in my company that are successful but the way they got there and the way they treat people is opposite my style. So while I appreciate their success, I’m not interested in modeling their success because it is off strategy for me. There are just as many people in my organization that are successful and the way they got there is 100 percent aligned with my moral compass and style.
I know there are plenty of Hall of Famers, All Stars and Rookies for you too. Find the people you want to follow. Hitch your wagon to them, learn from them, and take what they’re doing and apply it to your life.