I looked up from my reading and confessed to my lady something I've already known.

For my business to expand, I need to build a team.

[If you're a candidate, email me with three pieces of information: 1) Who you are 2) Why it matters for me 3) What you do well and where specifically this can be applied in my business. Even better, produce something of mine, better than I have already, and share it with me.]

She's built businesses herself before we'd met. She offered some useful info and asked some pointed questions of me that I need to address in expanding my empire.

I asked her why she hadn't shared this info, or asked these questions, before, knowing what she knows.

She had an answer I couldn't argue with.

Dre, you're not the type of person someone would feel comfortable bringing an unsolicited opinion to, or questioning your methods.

And she was 10,000% correct.

I don't give off an aura of, hey, come up to me and share your opinion of what I'm doing! Here's some strong supporting evidence. I'm pressed to think of many times someone has offered me help absent of me directly asking for it. I do it to people generously, at least when I'm sure of what I'm talking about. I get asked a lot, too.

But I'm rarely the recipient of an unsolicited suggestion. It's both a strength and weakness. And it's my fault.

I'm a great conversationalist when I want to be. I wrote a damn good book about it. I am friendly and engaging. People listen to me and follow me lead. I can turn cold calls into money and talk my way into free hotel room upgrades. I talk to you every day through my Podcast.

But I didn't always open up to the very entrepreneur businesswoman sitting right in front of me. And I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't be comfortable making suggestions to me, either. My Game needs Work.

Takeaways:

We sleep on acres of diamonds, then wake up and trace far and wide looking for gems.
The first step in getting better is knowing you need to get better. So I'm on the right track. [bctt tweet="The first step in getting better is knowing you need to get better. So I'm on the right track." username="DreAllDay"]
Opening yourself up frees others to open up too.  This is especially true if you're the alpha in the group: they're following your lead. [bctt tweet="Opening yourself up frees others to open up too." username="dreallday"]
In an alpha position, never wonder why your people aren't displaying traits that you yourself are void of. That in itself is the reason. [bctt tweet="In an alpha position, never wonder why your people aren't displaying traits that you yourself are void of. That in itself is the reason." username="dreallday"]

[dt_quote type="blockquote" font_size="big" animation="none" background="plain"]There are Best Practices for the Mental Game. Get them with my book.[/dt_quote]