Warren Buffett says it best: "It's better to hang out with people better than you"

"It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction." - Warren Buffett

So few people today actually think like this. Rather than working on growing and becoming better they are much more happy finding those of a lesser caliber than themselves and feeding their ego. They love the rewards and recognition that come with being better than their lesser teammates even if it stunts their own growth and their teammates.

When I was younger, and still today, I would always find people better than me at something I did. I would always say to people, if I was to be on a team or work with a group of people I would want to be the worst one. By being the worst one you know that you are going to be the person holding back the team and are going to work your hardest to become the best. There is always a huge challenge out there for you to become better than just one other person on the team. Once you have become the best on that team go find a new, better team where you are the worst again.

You are much better off learning from those better than you at something than from those who are worse. Obviously there is a benefit to other people when you are the one teaching them, but for the sake of improvement and mastery I would always recommend finding people better than you and becoming like them. Being the humble all-star teaching a passionate, determined teammate is a lot different than being the egotistical prick feeding off other people who are not at the same level as yourself. Your goal is to be the passionate apprentice taught by the all-star :).