Listening To People Who Look Like You Keeps You Poor

As we journey through life, we often find ourselves in confusing waters, swimming against difficult river tides that make us believe we will never make it out. In such instances, we have no choice but to seek guidance from those who have been on such rivers as well.

The first point of call will always be those around us. However, a person may have swum on the same river under the exact conditions. Because we seek guidance, we will listen to them. But there's danger to that.

To improve and be better next time, as we listen to those who have gone through the same path, we primarily need to listen to those who have swum longer, those who have had different experiences from ours. Even to those who had the privilege of a boat. They give us different perspectives, innovative ways, and share distinct experiences that will help us better navigate the river.

We all aspire to be better than we were yesterday, but limiting our potential by only listening to those in our environment. For example, a female may have aspirations of being a great mother and wife. Even though those around her may be unwed single mothers, she inevitably will seek guidance from them. However, if she only receives guidance from them, she will likely become like them and fail to see the possibility of achieving her dream. Simply because those whom she seeks guidance from also do not know better, they have no idea how to navigate the river she's aiming to cross.

When I say only listening to people who look like you keeps you poor, I mean, if you want to rise above your environment, you don't have to only listen to those in that same environment. You have to extend your quest to those who swam through the river in different conditions than those around you. They will provide you with way more tools and methods than those who have experienced the river under the same conditions as you.

If you seek to have a better life, you have to start searching for guidance from those who are already living a better life. Only listening to those who are in the exact position you are trying to be out of will only keep you there. Their methods, tools, and strategies may not be efficient enough, hence they are where you don't want to be.

Now, where do we find the people to listen to?

If you look around and you don't know or find any, with the interconnectedness of the world through the internet, that is where you find them. It is very easy to find those who swam through the river better than those who are like you, those whom you are trying to be like or better than.

Through the smartphone you are reading this from, you can easily find the guidance you need from those whom you want to be like.

Even though we listen to those around us, those who are like us, those who are in the same situations as us, we also need to actively seek guidance from those who do not look like us. Those whom we aspire to be like. Those who managed and are still effectively managing to swim better through the confusing waters of life.

Therefore, seek those who are unlike you, those better than you, listen and learn from them. You are more likely to manage the difficult tides of the river better than those who experience it the same way as you.