I love Jim Rohn. Jim was someone that I aspire to be like. He was a self made man and successful entrepreneur. He believed in the value of people and took every opportunity to build people up and to use everyday experiences to motivate people.
People can make a huge difference in your life and to the success of your organization. Jim often said “You are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with.” Think about who you spend your time with…are they building you up or tearing you down?
Some people are joy-suckers. No matter what happens, they seem to always find the negative in any situation. They can take your happiness, your energy and sometimes even your tangible assets. These people need to be avoided if you want to ever get anywhere.
Other people seem to have a supernatural ability to lift you up…they always find the positive even when everything is circling the drain. These kind of people enrich your life and make you better because they inspire you to be better, to reach farther than you thought you could and to help you make the kinds of changes you need to succeed and cheer you on when you reach your goals.
About two years ago, I was asked to lead a state-wide event for my church. There was expected to be nearly 1000 youth attending this event and I had serious doubts about my ability to execute such a large undertaking. As I thought about the steps I would need to take, I knew right away that I was going to need help. I began to think about who I knew that fit the definition I outlined earlier…people who would lift me, inspire me and help me to succeed. I spent a considerable amount of time, nearly 6 months, going through my list of contacts and even expanding outside the sphere of people I knew. As I contacted the individuals I felt would best be in a position to help me succeed, I was extremely gratified as I asked for help and every single person I asked enthusiastically agreed to participate. The event recently concluded and I am pleased to report that it was an unqualified success. I received many accolades and compliments but the truth of the matter is that without these dedicated and inspiring friends who came to my aid when I asked, I would never have been able to pull it off. I am very fortunate to have a core of friends who share my passion and vision for mentoring and I am thankful that they responded when I called.
Everyone needs to have a core of people that they can turn to when help is needed. We are not lone islands and most of the time, we can’t do what needs to be done without help.
In the workplace, good people tend to be productive people. They’re organized, create schedules they stick to and aren’t easily distracted from the end goal. It is important to understand that “good people” doesn’t mean that they are the same or similar to you. Not having diversity in the people you spend time with can stifle creativity and contribute to “group think”, which should be avoided at all costs. Do not confuse disagreement with negativity. Disagreement can be very healthy as long as it is productive and provides alternative perspectives.
Think About the People You Spend the Most Time With
Spend some time thinking about the people you are around the most. What kind of effect do they have on you? Are they positive? Do they build you up or tear you down? Do they inspire you or cause you to constantly doubt yourself? Are they supportive? Do you feel like you are better for having known them or do you wish you could spend less time with them because they are constantly making you feel like you can’t succeed?
People are different and that is a good thing. It would be a very boring world if everyone was exactly like you. There are things that make you happy that might not make them happy. That’s OK…you don’t have to look for clones of yourself. The key is finding the people that are good for you.
When you surround yourself with good people, you set yourself up for success and will more readily find the joy in life. You will be less stressed out and find it easier to accomplish the goals that you set. Make the commitment today to start spending more time with the good people that will help you to get where you want to go and cheer you on all along the way.
