I Stopped Chasing Great People. I Built Myself Instead. (That’s when the right people started finding me).

I was earning $953 a month as a courier, living paycheck to paycheck, watching successful people from a distance like they lived on another planet.

No mentors.

No network.

No access.

The people I admired felt unreachable.

One night, a question hit me:

How do you surround yourself with powerful people when they don’t even know you exist?

I didn’t have the answer.

But I made a decision:

My circumstances will not define my ceiling.

So I stopped trying to meet great people — and started becoming someone worth meeting.

That single shift changed everything.

Over the next 25 years, I built teams across dozens of countries, mentored thousands of people, and proved that you don’t need privilege or connections to create influence and success.

But it all started with one shift — from chasing people to building myself.

I Used to Chase Powerful People

I believed success came from proximity.

If I could just stand closer…

If I could just be seen…

If I could just enter the room…

Everything would change.

But I was always outside.

Different rooms.

Different conversations.

Different world.

Until I faced a painful truth:

You can’t enter rooms you’re not prepared for.

So I stopped running after people and started becoming the kind of person people wanted to meet.

The Truth About Circles: How to Build a Powerful Network From Zero

Most people believe success comes from “connections.”

But real success comes from conditioning.

Your circle isn’t who stands beside you.

Your circle is what shapes your thinking.

And you can build that from any situation.

The Three Circles That Build Success (And How to Create Them From Scratch)

Every high performer builds three essential circles:

1. The Circle Above You (Your Invisible Teachers)

These are the voices that sharpen your mindset.

Every morning, before the world distracted me, I trained my mind with:

Strong ideas

Clear discipline

Purposeful thoughts

While others scrolled, I strengthened my identity.

Because when your identity changes, your life follows.

2. The Circle Beside You (Your Growth Partners)

These aren’t famous people.

They’re committed people.

One focused person can raise your standards.

Across cultures and countries, I learned this truth:

People don’t rise because of resources.

They rise because of environment.

And the first environment you must upgrade is your mind.

3. The Circle Below You (Your Future Leaders)

This is the most overlooked circle — and the most powerful.

You grow by learning.

You grow faster by teaching.

When you teach, something changes inside you:

Your confidence sharpens

Your thinking deepens

Your leadership strengthens

If you’re the strongest in your circle, you don’t need to escape.

You need to elevate others.

Proof From Real Life

I once met a student living in a crowded dorm room.

No access.

No events.

No privilege.

But every morning, he trained his mind.

While others distracted themselves, he invested in discipline.

He told me:

“I may not have access yet, but I hear their voices every day.”

Years later, he was leading others.

Today, he’s building something meaningful.

How Distance Turned Into Access

When you grow quietly and consistently, something powerful happens.

The right doors open naturally.

Not because you chase them —

but because you become someone worthy of them.

Energy draws respect.

Discipline earns trust.

Character attracts opportunity.

You don’t break into higher rooms.

You rise until the doors open.

The Exact System I Used (And Still Use)

Here’s the framework that changed my life:

1. Choose people to learn from

2. Train your mind daily

3. Place yourself in growth environments

4. Find one focused growth partner

5. Teach what you learn

6. Protect your mindset at all costs

This works even if you start with nothing.

Because I did.

The Only Decision That Matters

You can stay frustrated…

Or you can evolve.

You don’t need permission.

You don’t need advantage.

You don’t need connections.

You need commitment.

Because the truth is simple:

You don’t find a powerful circle.

You build one — starting with yourself.

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Andre Abouzeid 

Wealth Strategies | International Entrepreneur | Co-Author with Brian Tracy

For over 25 years, he’s built global teams across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and now teaches people how to build success from zero through mindset, leadership, and personal transformation.

He writes about:

Personal growth

Entrepreneurship

Mindset mastery

Building influence without connections

🌐 Website: www.andresuccess.com

📖 Read the expanded version on Medium:

https://medium.com/@andreabouzeid/i-stopped-chasing-great-people-i-built-myself-instead-83e4e288956e

📚 Explore books on Amazon: Amazon Author Page

www.amazon.com/s?k=andre+abouzeid