Secrets to Choosing the Right Friends
Did you know that you can accurately predict where you will be five years from now? You can easily find out where you are going, what you are going to do, and your income level. If you want to know how, the answer is simple: through the company you keep. The people you connect with have a huge impact and influence on your personal success. You can tell where most people will end up in life simply based on who they’re hanging out with.
It is possible that your income level is in the same range as that of your closest friends. You talk about the same topics and usually hang out in the same places. In many cases, you may discover that you read the same books…or none of you read at all.
Even though your five closest friends are your best friends, you should evaluate your relationships when you are ready to make a change for the better. Relationships are like elevators. They either lift you up or bring you down. Every connection isn’t meant for the long term… Sometimes we find ourselves clinging to toxic relationships that ended years ago. 8 That’s why it’s so important to make the right relationship choices. To achieve your long-term success, you simply have to choose the right friends. Here are some secrets to doing so:
1. Affiliate top. If you are focused on taking your life/career/work to the next level, why not connect with people at the next level? Doing so will help you expand your mind to greater possibilities. It’s natural to feel more comfortable with people who are like you, and that’s okay. However, every now and then it’s good to get out of your comfort zone and spend time with friends who can expose you to bigger things, new information, and a higher standard of living. If you value these friendships, you will soon find yourself moving forward, too.
2. Choose friends with the same values. While diversity is great in many ways, when it comes to your overall values and beliefs, it’s best to maintain basic friendships with like-minded people. While you can respect other people’s opinions and differences, choosing friends who hold similar values to yours will prevent you from compromising or being negatively affected by those who do not support your values and the standards that govern your life by them. When friends have similar values, they can help hold each other accountable.
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3. Choose friends with common goals. I like to call these partners of your purpose. When you have friends who have common goals, especially as an entrepreneur, you can push each other. You can work on your goals together and encourage each other to reach them.
4. Choose friends who can balance the areas where you are weakest. We all have our strengths and weaknesses – you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. With the right friends, you can tap into the talents, skills, and abilities of those who have experience in areas that you don’t. Maybe you’re not the best at keeping your closet organized, but you have a friend who loves being organized – ask for her help! You could be a great writer and you could offer help to a friend who is updating her resume. When you use each other’s strengths, everyone wins.
5. Choose friends who support, motivate and encourage you. These types of friends are also great purpose partners. No one wants a negative or flawed friend all the time. Usually people who feel comfortable and positive are that we naturally want to be around. What category do your friends fall into? What do your conversations with them look like? The best kind of friends will be there to lend a listening ear and help you bring a positive touch to any situation.
6. Choose friends who share the same interests as you. Friends with similar interests make life more fun. You can enjoy picnics and activities together. Whether it’s sports, music, performing arts, or food, when you share interests, you can go out and do things together. You have someone to visit new places and enjoy new experiences with.
7. Choose friends who are hungry for knowledge. Life is about learning, growth and progress. With friends like this, you can learn from each other. It’s always great to have a friend who can recommend a good book or share information with you to help you on your path. Enthusiastic friends of readers are usually great talkers and fun to talk to as well.
8. Choose friends with whom you can be a partner. So far, I’ve noticed that this term keeps popping up. To further expand on that, a purpose partner is someone with whom you can share your goals and dreams, and they will encourage you to achieve them. When you tell your purpose partners what you intend to do, they can help you stay accountable for following through. Let them check you in and ask about your progress – and do the same for them.
9. Choose friends who will celebrate your success. You want friends who celebrate you, not just tolerate you. A true friend will celebrate every achievement, achievement, and success story on your journey. They will be really happy to see you succeed and be the first to say “Congratulations!” Friends like these can be rare, so when you find them, keep them close!
10. Choose friends who are “the people”. The people at Get-it are serious about their goals and serious about success. They don’t treat life casually or waste time on frivolous pursuits. They take quick action and get things done. If you consider yourself a beginner, it is important to have friends who work the same way.
11. Give what you expect to get. Every friendship is give and take. If you are expecting great friends, then first of all you have to be yourself. If you live by the golden rule of treating others as you want, you will not be disappointed – you will find your friendships satisfying and rewarding.
Take some time to evaluate your relationships. Do your friends meet the above criteria? Can you contact any of them partners of your purpose? If so, that’s great! If not, it’s probably time to branch out and start making some new relationships. With the above secrets, you can boost the quality of your relationships and your long-term success.