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What would your life look like if you were surrounded by successful people? What kind of a world would your world be if you had the support, help, advice and encouragement of great people around you?

In Part 1 of this article, we discussed the importance of surrounding yourself with successful people. Hopefully, you have assessed who you are around, and made some decisions based on that assessment.

Now, it's time to focus on expanding your network, in order to draw from the success and resources of others. By doing so, you will begin to achieve success faster, easier and with greater predictability than you could by yourself. What can you do to begin surrounding yourself with success? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Join clubs or associations. If you are a speaker, then join the National Speakers Association. If you are a professional organizer, then join the National Association of Professional Organizers. Organizations exist today for just about every occupation or area of interest. Attend the meetings and the conventions. Seek out the 'best of the best,' the most successful people in these organizations, and engage them in conversation. Pick their brains for ideas and suggestions that will help you to become successful.

It always amazes me when a top salesperson in an organization tells me that other salespeople have never asked this person what it takes to become successful. Hello! These people have studied long and hard at the 'School of Hard Knocks,' and you can rapidly improve your success by listening attentively, then following their suggestions.

2. Read books and listen to audiotapes. Your success team doesn't need to consist only of people you know personally. Many books and tapes contain stories of success, as told by people who achieved excellence in a particular field. By reading and listening to these resources, and applying their ideas in your life, you can achieve that same level of success.

If you will read 30 minutes per day in your profession or area of interest, as well as listen to audiocassettes daily to expand your knowledge, you will quickly become an expert in your chosen field. Then, you will become the source of motivation and support for others, and people will want you on their success team.

3. Take classes and attend seminars. I think the biggest benefit of classes and seminars is that you are surrounded by like-minded people. This is extremely powerful. As with clubs and associations, you have an opportunity to forge relationships that will last a lifetime, and help catapult you to greater success in your life.

4. Hire a coach. If you aspire to become a professional tennis player, then you'll definitely want to join the USTA (#1), read books and articles about tennis (#2), and maybe even attend tennis classes or seminars (#3). But those players who want to significantly improve their ability do one more thing'they hire a personal coach. A player can watch other players, and model their strokes and strategies. But a coach can observe the player in a way that the player cannot see himself.

So, if you're serious about working out, then hire a personal trainer. If you want to learn to play the piano, then hire a piano teacher. If you're looking to improve the bottom line in your business, then hire a business coach. And if you want to achieve greater success in your life, then hire a success coach!

Surrounding yourself with success will have a greater positive impact on your life than any other single thing that you could do. Begin today to walk hand-in-hand and side-by-side with the successful people in your career field or area of interest. You'll be amazed by the difference it will make in your life!