---
title: Do great people meet or do people meet to become great?
description: The power of the mastermind. You really are the average of the five people you hang around the most. How are your friends? How are things in your life?
image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Blog-files/1927_solvay_great_people.jpg
---

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[Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)

 Jun 13, 2025

# Do great people meet or do people meet to become great?

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)

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In 1927, 29 of the smartest people in the world met to discuss physics and chemistry.

Six had already won  the Nobel Prize.

Eleven more would win by 1954. (Those circled had already won. Those in boxes would eventually win the Nobel Prize in physics or chemistry.)

So here's the question: Do you have to be smart and accomplished to meet, or do you become smart and accomplished by meeting with the right people?

## Negativity Is Everywhere

The average person beats themselves up with negative, self-defeating doubt.

We think

- "Who am I to start a business?"
- "Who am I to write a book?"
- "Who am I to start a blog?"
- "Who am I to start a podcast ?"
- "Who am I to start a membership site?"
- "Who am I to start a mastermind group?"
- "Who am I to open a restaurant?"
- "Who am I to write a song or produce an album?"
- "Who am I to be a keynote speaker at a conference?"
- "Who am I to secure a patent for my invention?"
- "Who am I to charge premium prices in the marketplace?"
- "Who am I to take a vacation?"
- "Who am I to drive a nice car?"
- "Who am I to be happy?"

If you're honest with yourself, you've had 2-7 of those doubts today alone.

I know.

I have them, too.

But the courageous person is **not one** who never experiences fear.

It's the person that moves ahead aggressively and with determination despite the fear.

Having a good team around you to inspire you and motivate you makes all the difference in the world.

## Appoint and Anoint Yourself

On Sept 1, 2006, I was watching *The Dog Whisperer*, and I heard him say,

> I rehabilitate dogs and train their owners."

With my laptop on my lap, I thought,...

> I rehabilitate salespeople and train their managers."

And I immediately bought the domain name, TheSalesWhisperer.com.

Not ten days later, someone contacted me about buying the name.

I had it trademarked within two years, and the rest is history.

Who was I to call myself "The Sales Whisperer®"?

Dr. Suess wasn't a doctor.

Captain Kangaroo wasn't a Captain.

You and I can be whomever and whatever we want to be.

That's what **[my IDSS training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)** is all about.

I'll show you how I've built a business from scratch on a single income while my wife of 27+ years stayed home since 1995 to raise our seven (7) children.

You'll network with fellow members that are experts in their own fields, so you benefit from the collective knowledge of similarly self-motivated entrepreneurs and salespeople that want to get better.

You'll make your mistakes in private before you launch, which will save you time, money, and heartache.

Welcome to the 21st-century version of Solvay, where business success is the prize.

[![Score My Pipeline](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/443614/interactive-178194433547.png)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKXzrYVNmpwKEcAahjYTMCqMuSNgfjhgvtqYoDp2AX08R7UnjopfL3FIcyU1AQPU1eMuFi2Yn3qZBVwVHdYEGwq5HdCIK8NLWHOD9UtImLi%2Fs3f83q79i%2BqM3pvTf2LIv09XUprUb8BrOcRnJ6jluTajc6KgJKqGkeevb3O9FktVvR8Vdhxt5yDXn1z3jrlGrvi0UXMmh8h&webInteractiveContentId=178194433547&portalId=443614)

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## Related posts

[![Barbara Metzger: Read People Like a Book — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-19015217.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-19015217.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/barbara-metzger-disc-assessment)

[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)

## [Barbara Metzger: Read People Like a Book](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/barbara-metzger-disc-assessment)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Aug 13, 2013

TECHNICAL NOTE (2): For the first time ever I conducted two interviews on the same day, back to...

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/barbara-metzger-disc-assessment)

[![](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog-files/Proper-Attitude-Means-Hugs-Not-Drugs.jpg?height=200&name=Proper-Attitude-Means-Hugs-Not-Drugs.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-will-people-pay-for)

[custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai)

## [What will people pay for?](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-will-people-pay-for)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Jun 13, 2025

Convenience. Clarity. Experiences. Exclusivity.

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-will-people-pay-for)

[![Connecting with people has always been the name of the game — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisper](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-34562724-1.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-34562724-1.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/connecting-with-people-has-always-been-the-name-of-the-game)

[custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai)

## [Connecting with people has always been the name of the game](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/connecting-with-people-has-always-been-the-name-of-the-game)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Jun 13, 2025

Way back in the day, cavemen were connected their surroundings to seek food, water and avoid...

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/connecting-with-people-has-always-been-the-name-of-the-game)

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