How are you doing on your new year’s goals and resolutions? Are you taking action daily to set yourself up for success by the end of 2023?

Here we are, not even 3 weeks into the new year, and already we’ve passed the point at which most people – as many as 95% of American adults, according to survey data – have abandoned their new year’s resolutions.

While I encourage you to take the daily and weekly actions necessary to keep yourself from being counted among that statistic, today I want to offer you an alternative strategy toward achieving your goals and dreams.

One of the top (but rarely talked about) ways to get what you want in life is to surround yourself with the right people. And not just the right people, but the people who are going to raise your standards.

Let’s try a quick exercise… Take a moment to think about the people you work with, spend your weekends with, worship with, and gather around the dinner table with.

How many of those people are out of your league? How many are operating at a higher level than you? How many know more movers and shakers than you? How many push themselves further than you? How many keep a higher profile in the community than you?

Now you may be thinking, Celeste, the people I surround myself with might not be pushing me to raise my standards or keep a high profile, but I care about them. 

Sure, and that’s important. But if an athlete has a chance to reach the pros, do they turn it down simply because they care about their current teammates? Of course not. They go pro, and when they can, they help their former teammates improve their games and reach the pros too if possible.

As an entrepreneur, the same principle applies. If YOU are the VIP in your professional circles, you are unlikely to push yourself to raise your standards. On the other hand, if you surround yourself with impressive colleagues and contacts, there’s no chance you’ll let yourself be complacent.

“Proximity is power, but it’s also opportunity.” –Tony Robbins

Surrounding yourself with the right people will open doors for you that otherwise remain closed. They can serve as role models, mentors, and wise sources of counsel when you’re unsure of the right path. And they may turn to you when they need your unique blend of skills and smarts, creating opportunities you otherwise would miss.

Of course, surrounding yourself with powerful people will not always feel comfortable. That’s the point. It will mean stepping into rooms where you may feel like a small fish in a big pond. It will mean working on growing your confidence, so that you can start a conversation with a bigwig you’ve never met before.

And it might mean looking around at the impressive businesses others have built, the jewelry they wear, or the luxury cars they drive, and feeling intimidated, uncomfortable, or even jealous. But instead of focusing on these negative emotions, focus your energy and enthusiasm on earning the same accolades for yourself.

Here are my 3 tips for finding and surrounding yourself with people who will help you raise your standards.

1. Start with who you know. Look around at your friends, family, and professional contacts. Who are the most impressive people – the real movers and shakers? What are you currently doing to invest in your relationships with them? And what can you do to invest more? Offer to take them out to lunch, bring them coffee, or call them up to chat. And when those impressive people are doing impressive things, make sure you’re resoundingly cheering them on.

2. Grow your network. As I always say, get involved in your community and your business will thrive. Attend networking meet-ups, professional clubs, and charitable events. Beforehand, do a bit of research on who will be in attendance. While you’re there, make it a goal to talk to at least three VIP’s. You never know where those new contacts will lead you.

3. Join a mastermind. A high-level group of like-minded people who meet regularly to push themselves toward their goals, hold each other accountable, and tackle challenges together is the perfect setting to find and bond with powerful people. Our Celeste Giordano Coaching mastermind group is now accepting new members, and we’d love to have you join this powerhouse group of professionals.

As a master sales strategist, I’ve worked with many clients who get discouraged they aren’t meeting their business goals. What I find when we dig into what’s not working is that it’s often a combination of their actions (or inaction) and their mindset about what they think they deserve that is keeping them from achieving.

Together, we create a plan that will address both, so that nothing holds them back from reaching – or surpassing – what they want in business and in life.

Surrounding yourself with people who are out of your league is just one strategy of many I can help you implement. If you’d like to “double-plus” your revenue this year while creating a lifestyle where you’re surrounded by the right people, contact me today.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus™” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with more than 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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