Surround yourself with winners

“You’re The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With,” Jim Rohn.

This is one of the most important quotes we can take to heart. If you surround yourself with winners, you tend to strive for more. If you surround yourself with low performers and those who simply want to “skirt by” you tend to believe that’s acceptable.

Granted, you choose what achievement means to you, but if you want to achieve high, then pick a circle of influence who will encourage you to become your best.

Circle of Influence

Simply put, your circle of influence are those people you surround yourself with. They can influence you in a positive way AND they can influence you in a negative way.

If you strive to be as healthy as possible, surrounding yourself with others who not only strive for this, but do something about it, will likely result in a more favorable light than surrounding yourself with people who talk about getting healthy while sitting on a bar stool getting drunk.

In business, the reason many people join mastermind groups is so they can surround themselves with others who want to grow their own businesses.

Big Fish Syndrome

It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are doing the best we can by surrounding ourselves with low achievers. This accomplishes very little.

By being the “big fish” in a little pond, we never know what we are truly capable of.

Rather, to become your best, put yourself in environments in which you have to stretch. One reason people don’t do this is because it can be uncomfortable. Yet, our greatest growth can be during the times we feel out of place.

As many of my friends and colleagues know, I enjoy running. In the last three years I’ve participated in everything from 5k runs up to full marathons. I enjoy time with a group of running buddies. I met all these women through a program put on by a local running store.

The first meeting I attended was incredibly uncomfortable. I felt out of place. I was one of the newest runners and part of me wanted to leave and literally run home to the comfort of my favorite chair.

Rather than giving in, I stuck around. Now, I’m completely at home with my running circle of influence. We meet on a regular basis to enjoy pleasure runs. We encourage one another and we are constantly looking for ways to improve.

Had I given in to the side of me that felt fear at being the “new kid on the block” I would have missed out on so much. The greatest benefit of sticking it out has been improved health.

Yet, there are so many other benefits. I’ve made some great friends. I enjoy the way running helps me manage stress and I love knowing that I’m no longer the new kid on the block.

Take Control

Whatever you want to achieve will be materialize faster when you surround yourself with those who will raise you up, push you and encourage you to be your best. And aren’t you worth it?

It’s up to you to take control of your success. Don’t leave it to chance.