One Story. One Lesson. One Better Week.
When people ask me what’s made the biggest difference in my career, they usually expect me to talk about recruiting.
- Or sales.
- Or leadership.
- The truth is…
- It’s curiosity.
I wasn’t always the smartest person in the room.
I still don’t think I am.
But I’ve always been fascinated by people.
Why are they successful?
How did they build their business?
What habits do they have that I don’t?
What books are they reading?
Who influenced them?
What mistakes did they make?
Years ago, while learning from Tony Robbins, Werner Erhard and Darren Hardy, one thing became very clear to me.
Successful people leave clues. You just have to be curious enough to ask.
- That simple idea changed everything.
- Instead of trying to impress people…
- I started trying to understand them.
- Instead of worrying about what I was going to say next…
- I started listening more carefully.
- Instead of thinking about how I could add value…
- I first tried to understand what they valued.
- That shift changed my conversations.
- And eventually…
It changed my career.
Today, I have the privilege of recruiting Loan Officers and Branch Managers from all over the country.
One of the best parts of my job isn’t recruiting.
- It’s learning.
- Every conversation teaches me something.
- Then I get to do it all over again on my What’s Working Now podcast.
- Some people think I’m interviewing guests to teach the audience.
- The truth?
I’m learning just as much as everyone listening.
- Every guest has a clue.
- Every story has a lesson.
- Every successful person has something worth borrowing.
- As many of you know, one of my favorite sayings is:
Success leaves clues.
Curiosity is how we find them.
I’ve noticed something else over the years.
Curious people tend to be better listeners.
- Better leaders.
- Better spouses.
- Better parents.
- Better teammates.
Why?
Because curiosity says, “Help me understand.”
Instead of, “Let me tell you.”
The older I get, the less interested I am in having all the answers.
I’m much more interested in asking better questions.
Because better questions almost always lead to better conversations.
And better conversations often lead to better lives.
This Week’s Thank Goodness It’s Monday Challenge
This week, replace one opinion with one question.
- How did you come to that conclusion?
- What’s been working for you lately?
- What’s something you’ve learned this year?
Then… just listen.
You might walk away with an idea that changes the way you think.
Or maybe even the way you live.
Until next Monday…
- Keep asking.
- Keep listening.
- Keep learning.
Because curiosity opens doors that certainty never will.
And remember…