Some people take the saying, “never be the smartest person in the room” a bit too seriously. These people will sneer when they learn you don’t have your masters, and push you out of their way when the speaker gets off the stage.

The problem with trying to surround yourself with only the best versions of who you want to be, is that:

A) You can’t always tell who is ‘worth’ your time
B) They might not have time for you
C) You might not know who you want to be

You can’t always tell who is ‘worth’ your time

Sure, the speaker must have been asked to present for a reason, but instead of fighting the crowd try talking to other attendees. You might run into last week’s presenter, or even discover that the person on your left is actually the CEO of a startup you just tweeted about. Everyone has an amazing story to share, and you’ll never find out about his or her greatness unless you ask.

They might not have time for you

Being brave and reaching out to someone you look up to is admirable in and of itself. However, I’ve heard many rejection stories where the request for mentorship, or simply coffee, was ignored or flat out refused due to lack of time. If you’re really set on connecting with a specific person, then you can try being persistent, but don’t limit your possibilities. Everyone is busy doing their own thing, but there are many kind individuals out there willing to sacrifice their time and provide you with guidance.

You might not know who you want to be

If you’re lucky, you already have an idea of where you you’re going. Regardless, it’s not always where you’ll end up. Unexpected opportunities may present themselves, or you might decide to move on to the next thing once you finally reach what you thought was the end goal. Meeting and listening to individuals you wouldn’t usually approach, will help you refine who you want to be and better prepare you for the future.

[Image via MTV]

 

 

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