If you’ve started taking control of your own life, odds are that you’ve thought about how that may affect the individuals closest to you. Your inner circle, so to speak. More than likely some of the people that you currently spend time with on a daily basis aren’t on your level quite yet. They say that you become the sum of the five people closest to you. So, it makes sense that we should try to evaluate each of these people for qualities conducive to success. Think about the following seven character traits when deciding who makes it into your inner circle.
Positivity
You want the people that are around you to be primarily positive people. Why? To help you be a positive person. When you spend a lot of time with someone you tend to take on some of their attitude as your own, so why not surround yourself with individuals that promote positivity. You want them to lift you up rather than bring you down.
Dedication
Dedicated people are motivating in their own right. You know they are committed to getting a job done regardless of what the job may be. They are less likely to desert you when things get tough, and more likely to support you in achieving your goals.
Confidence
Confidence is contagious and that’s enough of a reason to fill your inner circle with people that possess this particular quality. The trait goes hand in hand with positivity and is excellent for keeping spirits high. Make sure, however, to distinguish confidence from arrogance when evaluating someone’s character.
Activation
Some people tend to confuse activation with motivation. You use motivation to psych yourself up on a daily basis, but it’s temporary. You have to keep coming back for more and the effects are relatively temporary. Activation, by contrast, is something you can use again and again. Think of it as a tool. You want the people around you to activate you. They should give you something that you can actually use for more than a single moment in time.
Inspiration
Choose to surround yourself with people that inspire you to do better, dream bigger, or work harder. Find people that make you want to keep going, even when you’re feeling like there’s no point. Those that think differently or creatively are also great inspirers.
Encouragement
This particular quality can be one of the most difficult to get right. You want the people around you to encourage you, but you also need to remember that they are not the reason that your goals have meaning. You can find significance in yourself. These people should support your goals, not define them.
Valuable
When I say that I want you to be around valuable people I’m not talking about individuals with a high net worth. I’m talking about people that add value to your life. These are the people that make you walk away from most conversations saying, “I can use that information.” They don’t have to offer you life-changing realizations, but they should provide you with a usable takeaway on a regular basis no matter how small.
