Protect Your Circle
I believe that we are the average of the people we spend the most time with. What that means is who we become is impacted (at least in part) by who we grace with our presence. This is true in business and in regular life. Successful people understand and practice this concept by surrounding themselves with positive people who encourage and support them. Healthy relationships consist of reciprocity, honesty and open communication. When we engage in healthy relationships we feel safe, valued, loved, and even more confident. Our overall health can also improve when we have someone to confide in or brainstorm with.
Similarly, if I want to be an entrepreneur then all of my time shouldn’t be spent with people who plan to be life-long employees. If I want to improve my financial future then spending time with people who are always broke or have a poverty mentality is counterproductive.
Avoid Toxic People
Toxic people frustrate us, stress us out, or bring our energy level down. They can do this by complaining constantly, blaming other people for their problems, or criticizing us. Even the strongest person can be influenced by repeated toxicity so we must limit our time with people who make us feel bad. When we spend considerable amounts of time with people who are cynical and negative ultimately that negativity and cynicism can rub off on us. By avoiding toxic people we exercise our power to stop the emotional transfer.
Consider The Source
OK, so we’re now spending time with supportive people and avoiding toxic people but life is never black and white. Most of us have encountered well-meaning people who love us and want to protect us but following their advice would keep us in box. Just because someone loves us and gives advice freely doesn’t mean we have to accept it. We must beware of people who shoot down our ideas, goals, or calculated risks when following our own instincts can lead to success. If we want to earn a college degree the smart thing to do is seek counsel from a college graduate. Apply this concept to other areas of your life as well.
Escape The Ordinary
The next step is escaping the ordinary by spending time with intelligent, ambitious, determined people. We grow by being learning and being challenged, therefore, we should associate with people who challenge us and force us out of our comfort zones. Status quo is not our destiny. There is no need to be stagnant when there are people around who can help us get to our next level.
Networking with people who have already achieved the level of success we seek opens our minds to new possibilities and allows us to shorten our learning curve and achieve our goals much sooner.
Moral of the story: Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be.
Who is in your circle?
Nicki Sanders, Chief Visionary Officer of Packaged For Success, helps both youth and adults discover their personal power, dream big, and achieve success on their own terms. Ms. Sanders is an experienced trainer, group facilitator, and program manager who holds a Master’s degree in Social Work. Ms. Sanders has over fifteen years of direct experience with diverse populations in residential, school-based, and community based agencies.
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