Find Another Room

Thanks to my bright friend Darcy Blessing, I had the opportunity this past weekend to sit around the table with some other really bright people that I’d never met before.

No agenda.
No task list.
No ulterior motives.
Nobody was trying to “get business” from anyone else at the table.

Just a collection of people one current friend (and one new friend) pulled together because they thought everyone around the table would be better off meeting the others who gathered round the table.

There was great food and great conversation.

There were great stories. And laughter.
And a lot of head-nodding and agreement and continuous story-toppers as one new friend told another new friend a tale of something that happened to them sparked by a story they’d just heard.

Nobody was the star or the primary center of attention.
There was no fighting for the spotlight or wrestling for the microphone.

No one was the brightest bulb in the room — we all were.

If you’re the brightest bulb in the room (the biggest thinker among those you hang out with) you will never grow any brighter.  

How can you?  There is no one in your room to challenge you, to amp you up, to energize you.  Without being constantly charged and re-charged by intense, intelligent, and challenging people you will actually become dimmer and duller over time.

And you won’t even notice.

One day you’re shining brilliantly at 100-watts and the next you’re barely the glow on a lightning bug’s butt.