The old saying definitely rings true here that no man or woman is an island. Being independent is a good quality but can be taken too far when we become isolated and don’t reach out to others for advice. One of the enemies of success is the line of thinking that what worked in the past or is working now will continue to work in the future. We all need people to bounce ideas off of and who can hold us accountable by speaking truth into our lives. This of course is not a new concept. The tricky part is who should receive an invitation to your dinner party and sit at your table, so to speak? Your selection is critical as you are not looking for fans but rather those who will not be afraid of telling you what you may not want to hear. Your personal group of advisors or those who sit at your table can be divided into two categories; “Invisible and Visible Counselors”. Invisible Counselors are those who you don’t have a personal relationship with but are fed by them in other ways. Examples of these would be authors, speakers, business leaders, Religious leaders, etc. Visible Counselors then are those who can actually sit at your table with you. Some examples of these would be mentors, friends, family members, co-workers, etc.
If you already have your own personal group of advisors that you trust and can rely on then you are on the path to success, whether personally or professionally. If not, according to Napoleon Hill it may have to do with readiness. “Psychologists have correctly said that ‘when one is truly ready for a thing, it puts in its appearance.’”