Success by Association

"The greatest genius will never be worth much if he pretends
to draw exclusively from his own resources."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have a confession.
I was a geek in grade school. I was that nerdy girl wearing the polyester "floods" from Pic 'n Save. I kept my nose in books like Jane Eyre or Lord of the Rings. Small talk baffled me. Then, in the sixth grade, two popular girls adopted me. They took me to the mall and taught me how to dress, became my friends and included me in their activities. Soon I was learning how to make friends and flirt and hold my own with the "cool" kids (politically active, articulate, popular, musically hip) I admired. What happened? These two girls pulled me up to their level of social finesse by association. And these girls were great people-smart, socially aware, responsible and compassionate human beings. People I admire to this day. Our values meshed. And they knew something I needed to learn about social rapport.

And this brings us to this month's tip:
Success by Association. One of the easiest, quickest and most effective ways to ensure change is to surround yourself with people who will pull you into your future. Look for people who reflect who you want to become. They have accomplished your goal or are well on their way.

Here are some ideas:
Want to lose weight and get healthy? Make friends with people who eat healthily and work out.

Want to increase your sales? Hang out with people who are great at sales.

Want more inner peace? Spend time with peaceful friends.

Want to be a millionaire? Get yourself into a group of millionaires.

Would you like to be a kinder, happier person? Find yourself some kind, happy people. Consider joining a charity.

And this is key: celebrate the successes of your friends! Their success shows you that you are getting closer. The more successful your friends are, the more successful you will be, too!

Why this works:
What is around you becomes more real, more normal. You start to think like your comrades.

You don't have to fight the pull of a negative environment. A community of people who are what you want to become creates an energetic momentum that carries you forward.

This new reality becomes imprinted in your unconscious. You are moving forward even when you are not consciously "working" at it.

This month's invitation:
Notice where you spend your time.
How can you surround yourself with people who will help you move forward?