If you want to be successful whether you’re working on a project or advancing your career, surround yourself with successful people. The best proof that someone can be successful is if they have been successful.

If you are surrounded by a sea of mediocrity, who is going to be your teacher? If you float to the top of this sea, what incentive is there for you to go higher and fly?

I attended Bar Camp Sydney 5 the other day and one of the presenters was an entrepreneur giving advice about whether you should partner with someone when starting a venture. One of the strongest things that he advocated was that if you’re starting a new venture, it’s always best to have a great co-founder. Not a lousy co-founder, or even a mediocre co-founder, but a great one. One who shares your vision, one who can work and lead independently, not a follower, one who is as dedicated as you are. All these criteria make a great partner. If you can’t find someone with these characteristics, then it’s easier to start your venture on your own.

Many people giving advice at this event were people who have been successful in creating a business. Some have done it many times, with a long history of success and failure. When you fail and then succeed, you learn and become wiser, when you become wise you can teach. What if these people have not gone out and tried? Then they would only be speculating. What if they have only failed and never succeeded in their ventures? Then they can only tell you what not to do. You need to have succeeded to teach how to be successful.

Update: An excellent articles on the same topic from the internet Millionare secrets – Surround yourself with winners. Unsuccessful people are negative, depressed, pessimistic. They bring you down. Successful people are enthusiastic, uplifting, passionate. The way  you behave and make decisions is largely influenced by those around you, so make sure they’re the right kind of people.

Update2: an interesting post that presents the counter argument, Why surrounding yourself with successful people is dumb. The author argues that successful people may not want your company if you have not been successful  yourself, so instead you should surround yourself with people who can potentially be successful, then  you can form mutually beneficial relationships.