From the Wright Brothers to the moon: Endless opportunities

On the other hand, if the five people you spend the most time with are highly motivated people who all earn significantly more than you currently do, they’re going to rub off on you, pulling you up to their level. Seeing their success first hand expands your brain’s belief of what is possible.

You cannot force other people to change, but you can transform yourself by changing the people with whom you associate the most. Surround yourself with people who are more successful than you are to break through the mental barriers that have held you back. Once you convince your stubborn gray matter that a 7- or 8-figure year is possible, nothing will hold you back as you reach for an 8- or even 9-figure production! You’ll go further than you ever thought you could. Even better, you’ll reach milestones in your business faster than it took those who have gone before you.

And don’t limit yourself to five people who make more money than you; choose those who market better, run their businesses more efficiently, or have a better office structure. Learn how they do it—see that it truly is possible—and reach for that breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.

Here’s a challenge for you. Find a handful of top producers whose businesses genuinely impress you. Make a commitment to learning, studying, and implementing the secrets of their success. Ask them about the key things they’ve changed in their businesses to break through perceived ceilings and achieve new heights. Express genuine gratitude for what you learn, and share your own successes and ideas in return.

What if you can’t put yourself face-to-face with a top producer? No worries! There is another way to rub shoulders with advisors who are more successful than you are: attend an event. If you’d like recommendations let me know.

I recently asked one of my top advisors, “What exactly is your secret to success?” He didn’t have an immediate answer for me, but three hours later, after he’d thought about it for a while, he told me, “One of my biggest success secrets is going to events where I know I’ll be surrounded by advisors who are doing twice as much volume as I am.” He learns what is possible from them, and his self-limiting beliefs about what he can do are neutralized.

Remember, this advisor is already a top producer. His production has increased tenfold in just six years, yet he’s still taking time out of his schedule to be around folks who are doing even better than he is. He listens to some of the top producers in the country share what they’re doing to grow and manage their businesses. In fact, he commits himself to attending at least four industry events per year. It’s not optional for him.

If you are really committed to unlocking your full potential, I challenge you to surround yourself with five people who are more successful than you are, attend an event for financial advisors, and crush that part of your brain that whispers negative thoughts in your ear.

It has been 45 years since Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. Last month, we sent up Orion, a spaceship that may one day take humans to Mars. What’s your gray matter telling you now? Anything is possible.