The first rule of magic is to always be the smartest person in the room. At least, that is what Jesse Eisenberg’s character in “Now You See Me” taught a young, aspiring magician named Jackson Campbell.
So when I spent a summer dedicated to learning magic tricks, partially because I was inspired by Mr. Eisenberg, I figured that I could apply that rule to my own life. From that moment I strove to make myself the smartest person in any given room I was in, or at least try to convince myself that I was.
There are very few universes where a sophomore in high school would be the smartest person in the room, and I think if I would have thought about it for even a second I could have realized it. But my competitive spirit sort of kept this idea in my mind, even if it never really made much of a difference for me.
Thankfully, this philosophy never really took hold in my life, because I now realize that surrounding yourself with people who are much smarter than you is much more important than the satisfaction of being the best.
In high school, you think it is feasible to be the smartest person in the room. Then college hits you like a brick.
At a place like UNC-Chapel Hill, there are few opportunities where you have the chance to be the smartest person in the room. It can be intimidating to look around and realize that you are surrounded by people who are intelligent in ways that you never will be.
But that is the beauty of a place like UNC-CH, and any place with a diverse set of people and ideas. No matter where you find yourself, there will be people who know more than you. Not always will they be “smarter” or more talented than you are, but there will always be something for you to learn and a chance for you to grow.
So when I was halfway through a workout and was joined by a friend who was much more fit than I am, I was pushed beyond my normal limits. Granted, it ended in me revisiting breakfast in a way that I would have liked to avoid, but I was in a better place than when I started.
Never be the smartest person in the room. After a year and a half at one of the greatest universities in the world, I have begun to realize that there are little opportunities for anyone to be the smartest person in the room, but there are plenty of opportunities to improve.
And on the off chance, it turns out you are the smartest person in the room, still never stop looking for opportunities to improve. Because someone who is smart will realize that there is always something to learn from everyone they meet.
Always be learning. Always be striving to grow. Don’t be afraid to be surrounded by people are smarter or more talented than you are. There is certainly gratification to being the smartest person in the room, but when you leave that room you will be the same as when you went in. But if you are surrounded by extraordinary people, you will step out of that room changed for the better.
