If Jim Rohn is right, that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, then this Circle of 5 is your core Circle of Influence, by default or design.
These five people most likely influence your thoughts, beliefs and behaviours – and ultimately your success, professionally, financially, personally.
Big Question: Are you okay with that?
Is your Circle of 5 by default or design?
Do they lift you up, where you can soar in all your magnificence?
Do they celebrate your successes and encourage you, stand by you, as you reach your dreams and goals?
Then: YAHOO!!! Go celebrate with them!
Or do they bring you down? Do they gossip or speak negatively about others?
Does being around them keep you playing small, where you don’t threaten them? Keep you “safe” by discouraging your taking any risks or new challenges?
Or perhaps “they” aren’t doing anything but being themselves, yet YOU play smaller, dim your light, stifle your magnificence because YOU don’t want to risk them being uncomfortable?
Here’s the thing.
If you want to “change the world”, create a positive impact, make a difference, your influence and impact will be richer, stronger and more empowered if you are being influenced by supporters, rather than diminishers.
Even a “Tall Poppy” thrives when it’s surrounded by other tall poppies.
Leonie Dawson’s recent post Are Your Friends Setting You Up to Shine or Stumble? is poignant in her relating of her own journey as a creative business owner, mom of two young girls, making it up as she goes along and the challenges growing her business through multiple six figures. She had to make some hard choices to let go in order to grow – both personally and professionally, as she continues to influence other creative entrepreneurs to build successful business, so they can also serve and influence others.
Good leaders know the best way for them to succeed is to hire people who are smarter at what they do. As Leonie says:
“If you don’t know people who are smarter, more successful, happier, creating bigger things or thinking bigger than you… you are in the wrong room.”
Take an inventory of your Circle of 5 – if you want to elevate its membership, consider who you want to spend more time with. Join a Mastermind group to expand your business or professional goals.
Who do you want in YOUR Success Circle?
A number of years ago, when I first awakened to this process, I looked at my circle of influence – and I wasn’t completely happy. There was Negative Nelly, who seemed to only see the world through “poor me” glasses, that no matter how I tried to “help her” change, was not in a place yet to change those glasses to at least half-full of possibilities (yes, I am mixing metaphors – and trust you get the picture :)), instead of all doom and gloom.
Over the years, I have added a few more people whose influence I believed would have a positive impact on me and my life (and they have!). Now I use my Circle of 5 list as a guide for how I allocate my time, especially when things get busy.
In this way, the person I am really influencing most is ME!
Go ahead. Reach for more!