"If you want to fly with the eagles, don't swim…

“If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks” (or “If you want to fly with eagles, stop swimming with ducks”) is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. Author and motivational speaker T. Harv Eker wrote in Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth (2005):

“In short, ‘If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks!’ I make it a point to only associate with successful, positive people, and just as importantly, I disassociate with negative ones.”

Wikipedia: T. Harv Eker
T. Harv Eker (born June 10, 1954) is an author, businessman and motivational speaker known for his theories on wealth and motivation. He is the author of the book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind published by HarperCollins.

Amazon.com
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind:
Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth
By T. Harv Eker
New York, NY: HarperBusiness
2005
Pg. 98:
In short, “If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks!” I make it a point to only associate with successful, positive people, and just as importantly, I disassociate with negative ones.

Twitter
Laurie Tossy
@Laurie_Tossy
Replying to @MariSmith
@MariSmith T Harv Eker says “If you want to fly with the eagles stop swimming with the ducks!”
3:31 PM - 15 Nov 2008

Yahoo! Answers (March 10, 2011)
How have you heard this quote go? You cant fly with the eagles if…?
I’ve heard different versions but i don’t know which sounds better/more accurate. “you cant fly with the eagles if your walking with the chickens” or “if you want to fly with the eagles, then stop hanging around the turkeys” What are your thoughts about it?
Best Answer: I’ve actually heard that “you can’t soar with the eagles if you hang out with turkeys”. For all intents and purposes, turkeys don’t fly. That is the literal meaning. You cannot compare turkeys and eagles as bird species.
As a metaphor, it means that you become who you hang out with. If you aspire to be an eagle (successful) you must hang out with eagles. If you don’t care about success, it is probably okay to hangout with turkeys (less motivated individuals).

Google Books
A Blueprint for the Perfect Life:
101 Secrets to Living the Life of Your Dreams
By “The Genie” Kabral Sharpe
Bloomington, IN: iUniverse
2013
Pg. 75:
“Only quality people. If you want to fly with the eagles you can’t swim with the ducks.”

Google Books
The Richest Engineer:
A Story That Will Unravel the Secrets of the Rich
By Abhishek Kuma
Bhopal, India: Sarvatra
2016
Pg. 235:
“In short, ‘If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks!’”

Google Books
Human Resources As Business Partner:
How to Maximize The Value and Financial Contribution of HR
By Tony Miller
New York, NY: Business Expert Press, LLC
2017
Pg. ?:
Harv Eker, author of Secrets of a Millionaire Mind, reminds us, quite appropriately that, “If you swim with the ducks, you can’t expect to fly with the eagles.”

Twitter
Lessons in Life
@lessoninlife24h
“If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks!” - T. Harv Eker
1:30 PM - 25 Aug 2018 from New York, NY