Who Are Your Friends?

We continue with the final article of the current series by taking a look at the significance our friends have on our ability to lead a productive and positive life.  We are constantly inundated with sensory information, and we utilize that very information to formulate the basis for our decisions.  Those decisions then serve as the springboard for our actions, which leads to the results we see in our lifetime.  The result is sometimes positive and sometimes negative. 

Though it may not be evident to others, we will eventually experience a result from each action we take. The result may be emotional, spiritual, physical, social or psychological.  In any case, it is sure to be negative or positive.

It is safe to say that the vast majority of us are seeking positive results in out lives.  However, the major issue is that we aim to achieve that goal without any specific plan.  A few factors need to be in place for this goal to be achieved consistently.  Today we will look at one of them.  Of all the information that we are bombarded with, our friends are responsible for some of the more vital components.  They have access to our innermost defenses subsequently giving them an unfair advantage over the media and even sometimes over family members.  It is through this type of relationship that we become more susceptible to their ability to influence our opinion and therefore affect our actions.

I know what you are thinking, and you are right!  If these folks have that much influence over me, I should begin to think about who those folks are.  And think hard you should.  The great motivational author, Napoleon Hill, often repeats in his books that if you want to be like happy people, be with happy people.  It suffices to say that the opposite also holds true.  If your circle of friends revolve around the negative circle of life, you may want to consider switching circles.  Look around you the next time everyone gathers together.  Are the conversations positive, encouraging, and uplifting?  How does the group react to adversity in the life of one of its members?  Are the attitudes positive about the future or is it that too much time is spent blaming others for the past?  Are the drugs and alcohol the social glue that bonds the group together?  Are these the kind of people that you would want your daughter to marry?   Ouch!

If, after some time of self-reflection you come up with unhappy answers, then it may be time to implement a new game plan.  Positive people are actually easy to find.  They are the ones who always seem to handle stress and pressure well.  They seem to always be willing to help and share a laugh.  The true secret is this… if you want to have what the happy people have, you have to do what the happy people do.  If you do not like what your circle of friends do and you do not like what they have in their lives, then you need to make sure you stop doing what they are doing.  I believe it was Mark Twain who said, "The definition of a fool is someone who continues doing the same thing and expects a different result."  Do not forget that they have an advantage over most of the other influences in your life, and therefore, will carry a tremendous amount of authority in your life.

So who are your friends?  After you answer that question for me, I will be able to tell you the kind of person that you are.

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