Moving the Needle: Get Clear, Get Free, and Get Going in Your Career, Business, and Life!

Chapter 11Get Free with Energizing People and Activities

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

—JIM ROHN, author of My Philosophy for Successful Living

Having positive, healthy habits can greatly contribute to our success, but so can spending time with certain people in our lives. The people we spend time with, the activities we are involved in, and the events we attend can make us more productive, effective, and motivated—or they might not if we choose poorly.

Surrounding ourselves with people who are supportive, inspiring, and encouraging is key to living a more productive and meaningful life. You might want to ask yourself: Whom am I hanging out with? How are those people influencing my thoughts and behaviors?

Many of the thoughts we carry around with us come from the past—from parents, family members, teachers, bosses, or pastors. Even if these people are no longer associated with your life—either because you've moved on or they've passed away—they said things that became deeply embedded within you.

Take some time during the year to reflect on who energizes you and with whom you want to spend time in the coming year. The people you surround yourself with and the media you consume have a large impact on the quality of your life. Everyone likes being around people who think like us, not in the sense that we have to agree on everything but in the ...