One of the most substantial elements to Creating the Life You Want are the people you surround yourself with.
There is a saying: “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”
Every responsible parent knows how important the relationships our kids have is to their future.
Robert Fritz was a mentor I had hired years ago to help me create the success I desired for my auto dealership.
In his book “Your Life as Art”, he has a Rule of Thumb on this issue:
“Surround yourself with people who support you, support what you are doing, and root for your success. Avoid people who do not support you, do not understand you, do not like you, do not wish you well, and would like nothing better than to watch you fall on your ass.”
Life is all about relationships.
And as with everything else in life – Principles Rule.
Two very powerful and foundational habits, as taught by Stephen Covey, for cultivating and maintaining relationships that are positive rather than negative: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood and Think Win-Win…OR No Deal
The truth is each and every one of us would be better off having no friends than the wrong friends.
Sometimes you just need to take a stand for yourself.
How do you pick who to let into your Creative Circle of Influence:
They must be truthful and integrity based.
They must know you well enough to have valuable insight into who you really are – what motivates you, what your strengths and weaknesses are.
They must actually like you…just the way you are.
They care about your success….they care enough to be TRUTHFUL.
The Wisest (and Richest) man who ever lived – Solomon – has words on this as well: “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” – Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)
In the end, it all comes down to our freedom to choose and our freedom to act.
We can choose to allow ourselves to achieve success or not by the choices we make.
I love the old story of a man who believes in God with undying faith.
One day a flood comes and water begins to rise and rise and he is forced to climb out onto the roof of his house.
Civil defense sends a boat to rescue him. He refuses to go and tells his would-be saviors that he has faith in God and that everything will be all right.
He then refuses help from a helicopter that attempts to rescue him.
The water keeps rising until the roof is now underwater, and he is havingtrouble keeping his head above water.
In a last ditch effort, the Coast Guard sends in a small submarine to save the drowning man. He waves them off and says, “Don’t worry, I believe in God.”
As his last words are uttered, more bubbles than sound, he drowns.
He wakes up at the Pearly Gates.
When he realizes where he is and what happened, he is really mad!
“I had faith in God, and what does he do? Drowns me!!”
Saint Peter shakes his head, smiles and says, “God sent you a boat, a helicopter and a submarine. What more do you want!”
Surround yourself only with people who really support you and your cause; and eliminate from your Circle of Influence those who do not.
My challenge to you: How do these Principles and Rules apply to your business life?
Where you see the word “Friends” substitute “customers” or “Target Audience” when appropriate Learn More at Who Should You be Selling to?
Life/Circle of Influence = Business
Creating the Life You Want requires that you have a clear understanding of WHO should be in your life in the first place. Begin with the End In Mind.