In my second year of university I took an organizational behavior course. One day my professor was teaching us how to hire people. I remember thinking, “This is stupid. It’s all textbook stuff that he’s just reading to us. I’ll bet he’s never interviewed or hired anyone.” So I threw my hand up and asked him point-blank, “Um, have you ever actually interviewed or hired anyone?”

“No, have you?” He replied. Uh, wrong question!

I replied, “Yes, in fact, I have. I have nine people working for me now in a house painting business I started.” 
Wrong answer!

The whole class turned around to look at me after my response, and right then and there I began teaching people how to hire great employees as I went on a fifteen-minute diatribe of what it’s really like to hire awesome people. This is the time I actually started using my business coaching and mentoring skills.

I didn’t become BFFs with the prof, but I got a cute girl’s phone number and serious classroom clout.

Just a quick reminder to put down the books and start doing it – you’ll learn more than the books can teach you.