Before you’re successful, most people will tell you how great your ideas sound, either because they like you and your enthusiasm or because they can’t picture what you’re seeing/describing.

After you’ve become successful, it can be just as hard to find people who’ll give you an honest opinion and constructive criticism, even if for different reasons.

When I’m working on a new project I don’t want to hear how great it is. What I value most is someone who is really paying attention and who will take the ideas/plans apart and put them back together again with me. The most successful things I’ve done have involved the greatest amount of that process.}

I used to work with a self-made millionaire who became a vendor to his own industry. He found himself selling back into a community of former colleagues and competitors.

In short he sucked at it because he was too busy trying to prove he knew better instead of listening to customers’ needs to offer a solution.

Much like the author – perhaps nothing needed changing, but at least by listening he’d know what rebuttals would resonate.}