Be The Dumbest In The Room

A very smart friend of mine told me that he knows he will be successful when he is the dumbest person in a room.

He must have seen my confused look because he went on to further explain his point.

“Being the dumbest guy in the room serves two purposes,” he said. “It keeps my ego small and it helps me learn. When I am the dumbest guy in the room, I know that I am surrounded by smart people. Being around brilliant people is always a good thing.”

After giving it some thought, I think he is right.

So often we want to be the smartest and best in any room we are in. This makes us feel superior. We don’t like the feeling of being inferior to the people we surround ourselves with.

While feeling superior isn’t all bad, it may mean that we are limiting our growth.

I recently heard and interview with actor John Krasinski who explained that he is constantly looking to work with the best actors in Hollywood.

“If you are around people who are better than you, you will get better and you will learn so much,” Krasinski said.

Well said, Jim from The Office.

Being around people who are better than you can help you see where you need to grow, what you need to learn and what the results can be when you get there.

So don’t be afraid to be dumb. You may just benefit by being the dumbest.