Get Close to Greatness

Teaser I didn't swing a single club for two days — and walked away a better golfer.

I thought a caddy just carried the bag. I was wrong about almost everything.

Spending two days inside the ropes with elite junior golfers didn't just change how I see golf — it changed how I see the pursuit of excellence in anything. These kids aren't just hitting shots. They're solving math problems, managing routines, and operating at a level of precision that's completely invisible until you're standing right next to it.

In episode #1493, I break down what proximity to greatness teaches you that YouTube never will — and why the routines of elite performers are the real secret hiding in plain sight.

You don't have to be the best in the room. You just have to get in the right room.

Hit play. Then find your room.

Who This Episode Is For If you've been trying to level up from a distance — this one's for you.

Key Takeaways

• There are always more levels above you — and the higher you go, the more precision, pressure, and skill the game demands
• Proximity to greatness teaches you things elite performers don't even know they're teaching — nuances no interview or video will ever capture
• You absorb the standards of the people you're around. Get around people performing at the level you want to reach.
• Elite performers have elite routines — and when they break the routine, the performance breaks with it
• Appreciation for mastery is itself a growth tool — when you truly see what greatness requires, it recalibrates your own standards

Questions for Reflection

• Who are the most elite performers in your field — and how close are you actually getting to them?
• What routines do you have around the things that matter most in your life — and are they sharp enough to keep you locked in under pressure?
• Are you judging the ceiling of your industry by the level you're currently at — without realizing how many levels exist above you?

Action Steps

1. Identify one person who is operating at the level you want to reach. Find a way to get in proximity — an event, a mentorship, a conversation. Watching from a distance is not the same thing.
2. Map out your pre-performance routine for your most important daily work. If you don't have one, build one this week and commit to it for 30 days.
3. The next time you're around someone exceptional at their craft, stop performing and start observing. What are they doing that they're not even conscious of?

Featured Quote "You'll pick up things from people who perform at a high level that they might not even know they do. That's what proximity to greatness actually gives you."