Every day, do you ever ask yourself: “Who am I spending time with? How are the people around me influencing me?“
In life, every relationship, every meeting, and every conversation has a significant impact on my thinking, behavior, and values. This can change the way I perceive myself and the world around me.
Therefore, asking questions about the impact of the living environment and the people around me is an important step for me to understand myself and orient my development.
People often say, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Each person in my life plays a certain role in shaping my thinking and habits.
They dictate what I read, what I say, what I think, and where I go. But more importantly, are they helping me grow or are they holding me back?
The question I should always ask myself is: Are the people I surround myself with helping me become a better version of myself? If not, why am I letting them influence me?
The answer may make me realize that I have wasted too much time in relationships or environments that do not bring value. Permissive environments, where there is no demand for thinking and effort to grow, will slow me down.
On the contrary, environments that demand high levels of personal performance and quality will push me to grow, develop skills, knowledge, and think beyond.
We all aspire to develop ourselves, become better versions of ourselves, and live a meaningful life. But to achieve this, you need to create the right environment and surround yourself with valuable people. – Doan Nguyen Hiep
If you are feeling stuck in a cycle of meaningless conversations, limited ideas, or unmotivating relationships, it is time to make a change.
Find places where you are encouraged and challenged to express yourself to the best of your ability. Connect with people who inspire and motivate you to grow.
This does not mean you need to completely eliminate the wrong people from your life, but you need to know how to balance and prioritize the relationships that are truly valuable.
As Jim john once said: “There are people you are allowed to spend minutes with, but not hours with.”
Starting today, take some time to reflect on your current relationships. Are they helping you grow or holding you back? If you find yourself stuck in environments that are easy and unchallenging, take the initiative to make a change. Join positive-minded groups where you can learn and be encouraged to grow.
At the same time, ignore the superficial voices and conversations that do not add value to make more time for the people who really matter.
Focus your energy and attention on people who make you a better version of yourself. This will make a huge difference in your personal and professional development journey.
You cannot grow if you stay in an easy environment. Be selective about the people and environments you surround yourself with on a daily basis, because they will shape the person you become.
Always ask yourself, “Is this okay?“, and if the answer is “No“, do not hesitate to change to live a more meaningful and valuable life.
