You have probably heard the famous quote by Jim Rohn, “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.” The first time I came across this saying was about five years ago, but it didn’t sink in until I heard it again a year later. That time it made me stop and think. I started to look around at those in my world.
I asked myself these three questions:
- Did they support my dreams?
- Did they push and prod me to get out of my comfort zone?
- Did they inspire me to do differently?
Those were the ones I started with, and over the years I have come up with more. When I first asked these questions, they were about what they didn’t do, yet I didn’t want to look at the negative.
Not only do I apply this to me, but also I started doing it with my business. This year it came up when I was accepting applications for Best Year – I had to ask the hard questions and then decided to say no to people, regardless of the fact I wanted more participants. It was about the group’s dynamic as much as it was about the individuals. I realized I shaped the group with my decisions, so I had to put together specific questions. I have no idea if I got it right yet there are already signs that the dynamic is shaping up nicely.
Why do you care? Why should you think about it? Here are a few points to consider:
Being around people who are different than us helps us understand ourselves better. We become more conscious of who we are, why we think the way we do. It allows us to see the world differently. There is no right or wrong – just different.
People who are different from us challenge our way of thinking – the perceptions we have. It’s really easy not to like someone because they challenge us, yet those people are some of the best people to have in our lives. There are many different ways to see something – to have someone challenge your perceptions may piss you off, but it is excellent.
We are not the experts in everything. Surrounding yourself with others who are experts allows you to benefit from their knowledge. As much as some of us believe we know everything, we don’t. Start allowing yourself to learn from others.
I challenge you to look at the five people you hang out with the most and ask some questions.