Think about how many people you came into contact with yesterday. Now ask yourself, “How many of those people did I learn from, and what specific lessons did I take away?” If you can’t recall any substantive lessons, it’s not because they weren’t available. It just means you didn’t search for them. Truth is, all the knowledge we need to be top performers resides in the minds of the people we meet everyday. And the only difference between those that make it to the top and those who aspire to get there is top performers ask more questions in EVERY conversation they have. They realize they don’t get smarter by telling others all about themselves and their “product,” but rather by learning as much as possible from others.

So this week, add more who, what, why, where and whens to every conversation. And when you ask, LISTEN and learn from what is being said. Don’t think of your next question… just listen. And with your newfound interest in others, you will find the world’s most powerful search engine is not GOOGLE. It is YOU!