I was lucky enough to have recorded an Austin City Limits last night that was showing the Best of Nanci Griffith, covering a number of performances she had done on that show over the years. One of the things that struck me immediately was how incredible the players around her were, including have a very young Lyle Lovett as a back up singer. Through the occasional tears watching it (I had to stop for a while as I still lament the loss of her talent in a universe that so needs it now), it brought me back to some thoughts…

If you play music or sports, you should always play with people who are better at it than you. If you engage in discussion of any kind the best discourse is with someone who knows more about what you are discussing than you do. If you are a leader, you should always listen to and take into account the information that your subordinates are giving you without feeling it a threat. If, like me, you are the house agnostic, you should always keep in mind that perhaps you are wrong and that there actually may be some guiding power looking over things.

Almost the bottom line…you can never grow mentally, physically, emotionally if you think you have reached the end of what you can learn or what you can accomplish. Seek out those who know more, do more, play more, play better, write better, run better, laugh harder, watch them, listen to them, learn from them..

Really the bottom line: If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room!!!