Things to Think About 033

"You are the average of the five people you choose to spend the most time with." Anonymous

Stop for a moment and think this quote through before reacting to it. The people we choose to spend most of our time with are the ones that we interact with the most and the ones we enjoy the most, in all likelihood. Therefore, they are the ones whose opinions you listen to the most and, use their opinions and comments to form your own opinions and topics to think about. This isn’t about sitting around discussing weighty things like politics, religion, or classic literature. It’s about mental frame of whatever the conversation is — this acts like a contagion and infects one’s thinking, opinions, actions, and brand as an individual. So, when you think about the five people you choose to allow to influence your life, how would you characterize them? Are they negative, cynical, always looking for the mistake or flaw in something. Or, are they people who, while accepting the reality of a situation, discuss it openly, looking for the truth as opposed to validating a personal bias? Do they care more about slavish adherence than considering data that don’t agree with their bias, ideology, or dogma? How do you feel after you’ve spent time with them — up or down? Are you thankful for these relationships? If so, good for you, and keep up the good work. If not, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate with whom you spend your time.

Till next time…