We all want to grow, right? We want to achieve more, build bigger, and step into our full potential. But here's the uncomfortable truth: real growth rarely feels easy. It requires putting yourself out there, asking for help, and perhaps most importantly, opening yourself up to feedback – even when it hurts.
Embrace Feedback
Look, receiving feedback can feel like a punch to the gut. It challenges your ego, and honestly, that’s why so many of us resist it. I talked about this recently with Spencer Coursen on the podcast. I told him, "The feedback is so important, but a lot of people resist feedback. It hurts your ego." And he agreed, saying it "destroys your ego." It's true! Our ego wants to be right, to be perfect, to never make a mistake.
But how do we improve if we're constantly shielding ourselves? Spencer had a spicy take on this, saying he's "a big believer that like people who are easily offended should be offended more often." It sounds harsh, but there's a point there. We need to build a tolerance for discomfort, for being challenged. It’s like when kids are bubble-wrapped; they never learn distress tolerance. They never get the skinned knees that teach them resilience. You've got to get used to feedback.
Choose Mentors
Beyond just being open to feedback, you need to actively seek it out from the right people. Mentorship is one of the biggest cheat codes for accelerating your growth. It comes in many forms: organic relationships, paid coaching, or even learning from people you’ve never met.
But here’s the thing about choosing mentors: be discerning. I told Spencer, you "cannot be mentored by someone who has a shitty relationship in your relationship. You cannot be mentored by someone who has a shitty business in your business." He put it even more bluntly: "Don't hire a fat trainer." It’s that simple. Don't ever take advice from someone whose life you don't want to live. Why would you? They don't even want to live their own life!
For me, I've had incredible direct mentors, but also countless indirect ones. Think about it, we have mentors for free on the internet, and we have $20 mentors in books. People like Naval Ravikant have been massive influences on my thinking, and I’ve never met him. It’s about being clear on what you want to learn and seeking out those who have already achieved it.
Implement The Work
Mentorship and feedback are powerful, but they’re useless without action. Spencer made a crucial point, saying, "the takeaway is one thing, but the integration's another." You can get all the advice in the world, read all the books, listen to all the podcasts, but if you don't actually implement what you learn, nothing changes. The willingness to implement is the game-changer.
It takes a lot of internal work and emotional intelligence to actually put things into practice. My book, Career Cheat Codes, dives deep into this, sharing the unwritten rules I learned that helped me grow. It's not enough to just know what to do; you have to do it. And that means pushing past your fears, dropping your ego, and consistently showing up. If you're looking for more ways to stay consistent and grow your brand, check out my personal brand advice.
Growing your personal brand, your business, or your career isn't about avoiding mistakes or only hearing what you want to hear. It's about actively seeking out wisdom from those ahead of you, embracing constructive feedback even when it stings, and then having the courage and discipline to integrate those lessons. That's how you really unlock your next level of success. Get out there and make it happen.