When we strategically align ourselves with like-minded thinkers and doers, to those who have achieved what we dream of achieving, then like osmosis, we absorb positive ‘can do’ energy, we take action and, ultimately, we move in the right direction towards our individual goals. This same group has an added super power – they become the invisible shield that protects us from both the debilitating inner critic and the external dream stealers, those critics who consciously or unconsciously attempt to keep us small. Our support crew builds our success, maintains our positive mojo and keeps us well and truly in a place of constant growth, development and mastery.
Motivational speaker and successful businessman, Jim Rohn famously said ‘You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with’.
Whether we like it or not, we are all greatly influenced by those closest to us – our confidence, the decisions we make, our thinking, our belief in ourselves and our belief in possibility.
Spend time with those that are always cup half empty and you leave feeling low and de-energised. Connect with those that dream big, that believe anything is possible, that well and truly see the cup not just half full but rapidly overflowing and you leave with a renewed spring in your step, the Duracell batteries have been replaced, the coffee shot of positivity swallowed and off you go.
In her book, ‘The Willpower Instinct’, Kelly McGonigal discusses the theory of ‘Goal Contagion’ – the ability to catch someone’s goals simply by hanging out with them. McGonigal adds that ‘Goal Contagion’ can work in both directions. On the positive it is limited to those goals you already have and at some level share; the negative is that we are equally susceptible to the contagion of temptation.
Holly Ransom is Australia’s youngest female CEO who at 25 is the CEO of Emergent Solutions. In 2012, she was the youngest person to be named in Australia’s ‘100 Most Influential Women’ list and in 2014, the Australian Prime Minister appointed Holly to chair the G20 Youth Summit. Holly shares that from an early age, she learnt to seek out mentors – a support crew – to listen, to learn, to absorb new skills and thinking. I had the pleasure of interviewing Holly last week and it was loud and clear that Holly believes her personal advisory team will be the ones that will help build her success and legacy dream, that they will inspire her to do more and push her to be more.
Similarly in ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’, Robert Kiyosaki shares how he had two dads – his real dad, ‘Poor Dad’ who was stuck in the middle-class with limiting viewpoints on money and his ‘Rich Dad’ who was one of the wealthiest men in Hawaii. Kiyosaki chose to learn from his ‘Rich Dad’, spending time with him to acquire new skills, thinking and mindsets around money – all of which he attributes to his subsequent success.
The evidence is everywhere – from our own backyards to the sporting arena, from business to entertainment – the stories of success are inspiring and behind every single one is an even better story of support.
Take a good hard look at yourself and your immediate circle. Are their behaviours the ones you want to follow? Are they achieving their dreams? Are they being the person you dream of becoming? Ignore the pessimists, the non-believers as you will end up in a downward spiral and the loss of your dreams.
Make sure you are surrounding yourself with successful positive minded individuals – those who, in the words of my good friend Christina Guidotti, are the ‘True Believers’. Spend time with those who are taking responsibility for their lives, who own the choices they make because you will then become a more proactive, positive individual who has the ability to shape your future.
Choose your tribe carefully. Ensure you have the support crew around you, guiding, mentoring and cheering you on all the way to achieve your goals because spending time with these people will influence the person you eventually become.
