You know, I’ve seen so many talented people burn out trying to figure everything out themselves. The truth is, “No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch.” It’s a game-changer once you realize that success isn’t about knowing it all, but about finding the right mentors.
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Meaning
At its heart, this quote is about strategic leverage. It’s the recognition that your most valuable resource isn’t time or money—it’s accelerated learning from those who’ve already walked the path.
Explanation
Let me break this down for you. I’ve built a few businesses now, and the single biggest mistake I see smart people make is this stubborn insistence on “figuring it out” themselves. It’s ego, plain and simple. They think it’s a sign of weakness to ask for help.
But here’s the reality. The path to your goals is littered with landmines. And someone, somewhere, has already stepped on every single one of them. They’ve paid the “tuition” to the school of hard knocks. Brian Tracy is saying, why would you pay that same price again? Your job isn’t to be the original genius. Your job is to be the smartest adapter. Find the person who has the results you want, learn their system, and then—this is the key part—improve upon it. That’s how you leapfrog years of struggle.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Education (260) |
| Topics | growth (413), learning (190), mentorship (9) |
| Literary Style | reflective (255) |
| Emotion / Mood | provocative (175) |
| Overall Quote Score | 86 (262) |
Origin & Factcheck
This wisdom comes straight from Brian Tracy’s 2002 book, The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success. It’s a cornerstone of his teaching. You’ll sometimes see this idea floating around attributed to general “self-help” or other gurus, but the specific phrasing is pure Tracy. He built a whole career on systematizing success principles like this one.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Brian Tracy (375) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success (48) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Brian Tracy, a prolific author gained global reputation because of his best seller book list such as Eat That Frog!, Goals!, and The Psychology of Selling, and created influential audio programs like The Psychology of Achievement. He is sought after guru for personal development and business performance. Brian Tracy International, coaches millions of professionals and corporates on sales, goal setting, leadership, and productivity.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we must find those who have already paid the price to learn the things we need to learn to achieve our goals |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2000; ISBN: 978-1576750805; Last edition: Berrett-Koehler Publishers; Number of pages: 288. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: The Law of Mentorship; Approximate page from 2000 edition |
