THE power of association is real. It might sound strange, but sometimes, the less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve.
Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.
As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will act like a handbrake, holding you back; they will want you to stay where they are.
Your friends will either stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don’t increase you will eventually decrease you; the same applies to both your personal life and your work life, so ask yourself if you are adding value to somebody’s life or taking away from it.
Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to a solution, because those who never succeed are always first to tell you how to.
Don’t follow anyone who is not going anywhere. With some people, you spend an evening: with others, you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life.
Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. You have no doubt heard the sayings: “If you sleep with dogs, you are bound to get fleas” and “if you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl.”
Obviously, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights. As they say in Classics, “How can I fly like an eagle when I am surrounded by a bunch of turkeys?” Remember that eagles are not found with a bunch of turkeys, but are found one at a time.
A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.
The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate – for good or bad.
The friends that you hang out with, along with the other people that you spend time with, have a tremendous impact on you and your life. The opportunities that are available to you, the choices that you make, even the amount of money in your bank account, are all greatly affected by the people around you.
It’s been said that you are the average of the five people that you spend the most of your time with. Learn to put the power of association to work for you.
Olagundoye Joshua,
Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State.
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