10 years ago a man appeared on a TV program in the US and boldly said that 1 BTC will be worth at least $10 000 in the next 3 years. Many laughed at him and looked at him strangely after that, but the man always had a nose for such things and was actually right.
Around the same time, one of the most famous investors in the US declared that Bitcoin is "mirage", and a few years later he stated that BTC is “probably rat poison squared”.
What is the lesson of the story? Sometimes you should not blindly listen to those who are "successful", but to those who are perhaps a little less successful, but always follow new technologies and understand their potential.
Fortunately, in 2014 I didn't listen to Warren Buffett but to Tim Draper 
I completely agree with all that you said, it's all true to be honest, less successful people still have zeal to become very successful, and for this reason, they are out there looking for opportunities that will possibly get them to their next level of success.
Meanwhile, the already successful people always feel like they have arrived at their busstop.They feel that nothing else out there works except for the things they are into, they often feel that no new technology will be successful any more aside the ones that have been which they are already familiar with, and for this reasons, it's actually a bad idea to listen to such people.
Personally, it's the same for me just as you have said it, I listen and learn from those who are less successful and striving to get to the top, this ones are always open minded to new inventions and opportunities, they are the best people to learn from.