WHO ARE YOU HANGING OUT WITH?

When you were a kid, did your parents ever tell you not to hang out with “those kids”?

For me, there were some kids in my neighborhood that my parents ensured I didn’t spend time playing with. Back then, I didn’t fully grasp why but thinking about it recently, I got some insight.

It is in this quote:

You are the average of the 5 people you spend time with – Jim Rohn.

This is not the first time I stumbled on this quote but recently, I really meditated on it.

What this means is that we become like the people we hang out with. Our parents knew this. They perhaps have seen some “awkward” traits in life of “those kids” and they didn’t want their kid to have them. 

If you spend time with them, you will soon become like them.

But as adults, did our parents ever used that advice?

As adults now, do you apply that principle?

It is important to spend time with people you want to become like and not people you do not want to be like. If you want to be successful, spend time with successful people.

Do you believe this principle?

So, who are the 5 people you speak with more regularly? Who are the top 5 people you spend time with? Do they reflect your desired destination?

Spend some time this week to really think about this principle. But I can tell you, it works.

A guy I know who was an average student got a good grade in his first exam on campus and then decided to hang around and spend time with the best students in his class. The result? He graduated as one of the best in his department.

If you believe that if you want to be successful, spend time with successful people, where do you find successful people?

I thought about this too recently and I asked myself that question. Where do we find successful people?

Successful people are all around us, but most times we don’t recognise them. The internet has even made it easier to find them. People who are achieving the results you desire in your industry.

They are there – in the form of books, podcasts, etc. Have you read books written by successful people in your field? Do you listen to their podcast? Do you subscribe to their newsletter?

Spending time consuming the works of the leaders you admire means spending time to absorb the quality of their mind. Try this! You will have access to them easily.

Where else do you find them?

Join a professional association or attend the conferences they attend. You will find most industry leaders in most of these conferences. They are either speaking there or networking there. What are you doing at home? Go there and be in the room with them.

Here is a hack: Volunteering to serve in some organisations gives you access to the industry leaders. Serving is like paying to network and connect with them.

Volunteer to serve with other leaders in your church. Attend seminars organised by people who have already achieved what you want to achieve.

Successful people are everywhere.

Mike Murdock has a quote that says “pay any price to stay in the presence of extraordinary people”.

Pay the price. Be surrounded with those who have done what you want to do. You need to be surrounded by those who have a positive attitude, a solution-oriented approach to life – people who know that they can accomplish whatever they set out to do.

Because our association rubs off on us. The quality of people around you influences you, consciously or unconsciously.

But this is the final gem: When you get into the presence of extraordinary people, ask them to share their secrets or success strategies. Remember Asking is the most powerful thing you can ever do to get a response.

When they share with you, appreciate them, implement what was shared to see if they fit for you. Experiment – read what they read, do what they do, think the way they think.

Not everything will work. Find what works for you.

You are not hanging out with successful people to take selfies and form paparazzi. You want to change and improve your life. 

Stay focused on it.

“Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces”. – King Solomon

Substitute “wise” for anything you want.