Who You Associate With Is Often Who You Become

How do you immediately start improving things in your life? A large part of that has to do with the people that you have in your life.

There’s three ways you need to look at this:

Limit your associations with certain people

There are going to be a lot of people in your life that you need to start limiting exposure to: people that have a negative influence in your life… but people that you can spend a small amount of time with before the negativity starts to come out. Often times the people in this group are family and old friends. It’s important to understand how their attitudes, words, actions, and the things that they do – how they influence you, and to know when it’s time to say your “good evenings,” and head on home.

Expand your associations with people on a mission

People who encourage you, who lift you up, who move you forward… or as one of my favorite quotes says, “Surround yourself with the people who are on the same mission as you.” If you’ve ever played sports, or been in the military, you know the value of being a part of a team. You push each other to be your best. You accept no less than each other’s best efforts. You have each other’s back. You help each other get better! In my early martial arts training, I became BETTER by training with people much better than me because it forced me to become better to keep up.

Cut associations with people who you don’t need to be around

Those people, and you know who they are, who quickly come to mind… that every time you’re around them, they’re almost even on a path of self-destruction and seem bent on taking everyone with them. No matter what you say or do, their attitude is borderline abusive and everything is wrong… everyone is out to get them, blame is their game.  The more time you spend around them, the more you feel like you’re taking on their attitude of self-destruction. They constantly make you feel bad about bettering yourself. It takes you days to recover from time spent with them.

Hear me, I understand you may feel like you can change them… like you can be a good influence on them. However, you may hold up much of your life in a hope that may never happen. Bless them, let them know if they want to be in your life, things have to change.

YOU have purpose

You have things in your life that are very important for you to get done.  There are people our there that NEED what you have to offer of yourself.  The only way you can do that is to be your BEST self… and to do that, you need to be around the best people.  Love, help, and grow with people who will receive your help… and the people who will not… pray for them and release them.

Bryan Martin