The people who know me know that if I love following anyone on social media, it’s the people that inspire me. There is something really powerful about one of the people you admire saying exactly what you need to hear.
Finding people who inspire and challenge you can help you push yourself to try new things, change your mindset, and develop a new outlook on life. You don’t have to change yourself to be exactly like them (or anyone, for that matter), but they could certainly challenge you to think differently about something so that you can make yourself 1% better. And that’s really what we strive for, isn’t it?
If you’re looking for new folks to follow, here are some of my favorites.
Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink is a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, author of the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Jocko spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, including as commander of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, ultimately serving as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. While there, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield.
Jocko’s story is incredible and, physically, something I don’t know if I ever could have done. His authenticity and the leadership skills he gained as a Navy SEAL inspire many people, myself included, to become a leader that builds high-performing teams.
Mel Robbins
After her 2011 TEDx talk “How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over” went viral, Mel Robbins became one of the most well-known motivational speakers in the world. Mel has sold millions of books, including The New York Times Bestseller The High 5 Habit and the #1 selling The 5 Second Rule, and considers herself someone who can provide people with the tools to empower themselves to create a better life.
Mel has long been someone who has inspired me, and recently I got the honor of introducing her to a room full of Compass realtors. It was such an incredible experience to meet her, and hear her speak about the things she has learned over her life so far. Mel’s honesty and the way she talks about what she has learned from the times she has screwed up have inspired me to share my stories.
While Mel and I were in the elevator at the Compass retreat, trying to get her to the airport, she was stopped by someone else who was inspired by her. My words won’t do the interaction justice—you’ll just have to watch it.
Robert Reffkin
Compass Co-Founder and CEO Robert Reffkin is an entrepreneur on a mission to help everyone find their place in the world. He was inspired to enter the world of real estate by his mother, Ruth, a longtime agent who now proudly works at Compass. Robert completed a B.A. and M.B.A. from Columbia University and worked at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and as a White House Fellow. He ran 50 marathons in 50 states to raise $1 million dollars for charities — including America Needs You, the non-profit he founded to serve young people living below the poverty line who are the first in their families to go to college.
Working with Compass has changed my life in so many ways, and getting to work with Robert is one of the most rewarding. Seeing how much he has done for people all over the country, and all he continues to do for Compass realtors, inspires me to have a similar impact one day.
It’s people like Jocko, Mel, and Robert who help push me to invest in my strengths and improve my flaws. Whether you start following one of these folks or already have some of your own, I hope you pay attention to how they’re inspiring or challenging you today. You never know what it is that will push you towards being 1% better!