An entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, became known for his infamous quote: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Rohn believed that the people you spend the most time with profoundly influence your success, how you think and how you navigate life.
Zoom out and take a 15,000-foot view of your life. Who are the five people you are around the most? Contemplate how each of them shows up and influences your life. Here are some questions to consider:
- Do they have similar values?
- Will they tell you what you need to hear (constructive criticism), or do they tell you what you want to hear?
- Do they inspire you? Challenge you? Spark creativity?
- Do they support you?
- How do they impact you energetically when you are with them? Do you feel uplifted or drained afterward?
- Do they make you feel small or safe when you are being yourself?
- How do you show up in their life?
Having agency over your life means taking the initiative to surround yourself with people who embolden you and act as a life raft when you are drifting.
Some people have the power to crack you open to places you never knew existed — positive and negative. What do they spark that adds light and clarity to your life?
Which people drag you down? In the dark places that are frightening and scary, try and be open to what the discomfort is telling you – about you. Do you need to let this person go or choose to spend less time with them? Do their values align with yours? How do they make you feel?
“I have been a seeker and I still am. But I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my soul.” — Rumi
