The People Around You

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Over and over we hear people say we are just as good as the people around us and we wonder why. Although I used to wonder why when I was growing up but haven't spent a considerable number of years on earth I think I understand just what it means. This is actually true in every sense, in relationships, friendships and even in business. The people you hang around with have a lot of influence in the decisions and actions you make even though you might not realize it.

Growing up with our parents they mold and instill their beliefs and doctrines in us because they have spent more time on earth and their experiences as shaped they way they see things. Even their behavior and how they approach or deal with things are picked up by us subconsciously. For example, my mum after years of leaving the school environment and having four children she recently completed a three year professional course. When she started I was really intrigued by her desire and her effort, I would watch her study anytime she had the opportunity even after a long day at work. I never knew my mum was that disciplined and focused, even when her colleagues suggested her paying someone to do the course she bluntly refused. I used to think I got my discipline and desire to succeed from my dad but in fact it was my mum. It further shaped the way I saw life, no business is too late to start and no course is too late to study. If my mum could successfully complete a professional course of three years while taking care of the family then what can I not do as well.

In friendship, it has been proved that the kind of people you work with will determine how far you will go in life. From your peers to even older people who we are friends with. People offer advice that we walk with people even more intelligent than we are because it would challenge us to do even better. At first I didn't believe and so when I was in my first year in college I stuck with my friends who just wanted to pass and leave school and it did reflect in my results. I didn't do that badly but I know I could have done even better and trust me the next year I changed my friends as fast as I could. We all have a natural drive to do well but the people around us will determine how far we will do, they will push you to go farther than you thought you couldn't go. Even by observing their life and the way they do things , you will be motivated and influenced or even challenged.

As a business man it is just the same, you are just as good as your team and employees. Even if you have a great plan of how to get your business to a certain level, if your team is not on the same page with you it would be like fetching water with a basket. You all have to be on the same page or you would be wasting your efforts. They must understand your goals for the business and how you intend to get there i.e they must be on the same page with you. In all our relationship no matter how insignificant they might seem we need to make sure they are with the right people. While sometimes we can't control the people we find ourselves surrounding with, it's important that we stand our ground and not get carried away by their behavior or lackadaisical attitude towards things and even influence them to be better and by so doing you could build a team of better people.

Some people out of fear of being shadowed avoid people better than themselves but in the end there will always be someone better than us, it is important than we drop our pride and strive to be better than we were yesterday.