Motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, famously said that “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”
I wonder if you have ever thought about this – have you ever wondered why some businesses succeed and others seem to constantly struggle?
Well there may obviously be many reasons for this, but as business owners I think it’s really important to look at who you hand around with, on both a business and personal level.
I’m not saying you should go out and change your friends, or business colleagues, but it will certainly have an impact on how you look at your business if you are hanging around with people who have a glass half empty outlook on life rather than glass half full.
Think of those networking groups that you may attend. I’m sure we all know some people there who are always blaming one thing or another as to why their business is not flourishing, they can always find a reason to moan. Be very wary of spending too much time around this type of person, their thought process can easily rub off onto you.
When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced — whether we like it or not — by those closest to us. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Of course, everyone is their own person, but research has shown that we’re more affected by our environment than we think.
While the main reason to business success is ‘implementation’ – but who you hang around with is a very close second.
So, if you are looking to achieve, follow these top tips….
Find someone (or more than one person) who you aspire to be like.
Someone who has achieved the business success you desire.
Someone who models all that you want to be and find a way to spend time in their company.
Robert Kiyosaki talks about this in his book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He had two dads- his real dad, stuck in the middle-class with limiting viewpoints on money; his poor dad, one of the wealthiest man in Hawaii and was smart about getting money to work for him.
By consciously choosing to interface with his rich dad to learn from him, he acquired many thinkings and mindsets of how to become rich, which eventually led him to become successful in life.
If you hang out with a group of successful, positive-minded individuals who believe in taking responsibility for their lives, you will move to become a proactive individual who shapes his/her future.
If you hang out with a bunch of pessimists who believe the world is out to get them and there is nothing worthwhile, you will start descending into the negative whirlpool at some point, even if you are initially a positive individual.
This is one of the reasons why ‘Mastermind’ type groups, can be such a good benefit for business owners. You are spending a set amount of time each month with like minded people – people who want to achieve and aspire to greater things. People who understand what you are going through on a day to day basis whilst running a business. People who will push you on and encourage you to take risks to step out side of your comfort zones in order to achieve success.
Business coaches are also great people to hang around with in business. They are there to help coach you, motivate you and help drive your business forward. They will also hold you accountable, during both good times and bad, but with the same desire of wanting you to succeed.
I have spent the last 18 months now working regularly with a business coach, and this year I have become a member of the Entrepreneurs Circle, who’s main aim is to educate, motivate, teach & inspire business owners to achieve more than they thought possible, which is a great place to learn and hang out with like minded business owners, and I have just had the best first ¼ of the year financially in about 5 years! Do I think this is a coincidence – No I don’t.
I would seriously encourage you to take a look at your surroundings, look at who you are spending the most time with, look at the people in your networking groups, look the people in your team, are they people who are inspiring you to achieve great things and become a better person, or are they full of negativity and so possibly pulling you down with them – then have a think about this… I know which type of person I would rather be hanging around with – wouldn’t you?
