Take a moment to think about where you want to be in 5 years. Seriously, take a moment to visualize these goals and dream big! Start by asking yourself these questions: what are my career goals, where am I living, what vacation am I planning, where am I working? Now that you have a picture of your bright future, ask yourself one more question: are you surrounding yourself with the people who are going to help propel you to that next level?

Who Are Your People?

Renowned businessman Jim Rohn once said: “You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” Considering that statement, are you spending your time with the right people? Think about the people who genuinely want to see you succeed and are always cheering you on. Who are those people? Take a few minutes and write down five people who you want to surround yourself with and will help propel you to your next big dream.

Limited Exposure

Now that you have established your Top 5, think about those friends who need limited exposure. These are the people who didn’t make it into your Top 5, but you can’t completely forget and let go of them. For instance, your constantly complaining coworker or your irresponsible sister-in-law are really draining you, but you can't cut them out of your life. When you are around these people, you maybe feel worse about yourself, and you know deep down that they are not the right fit for you. While you can’t control that the fact that they are in your life, you can control the amount of time and energy that you spend on them. Who are the people in your life that you need to limit your time with?

Limiting your time with relatives can be challenging, so you may need to get crafty. Here is one example. Let’s say that when you go visit your relatives, you normally stay Friday through Sunday. However, you know that a weekend with relatives is really draining and counterproductive to your positive and proactive mind-set. So, try telling a little fib. For example: “Hey Aunt Cathy, I know that when we visit we normally stay until Sunday, but we are going to come Friday and leave Saturday because we have an event Saturday afternoon to attend.” While this is a little dishonest, you know that limiting this exposure is a benefit to you.

It’s Time to Let Go

To recap, you now have a Top 5 group and a limited exposure group. Finally, take a deep breath and ask yourself: who do I simply need to let go? These are the people who are constantly questioning you, maybe making fun of you, and you just feel insecure around them. Maybe these are people who don’t have the same habits and lifestyle as you, so their influence is actually disrupting your five-year dream plan. It does seem difficult to let people go, but stay focused on the positives. If you purposefully surround yourself with those who you can learn from and grow with, the negatives won’t be on your mind.

Starting today, you must think about who want to hang out with because this is one step towards reaching your success. Who you want to be in the future—those habits and behaviors—needs to start today. Every year, sit down and ask yourself these three questions: who are my people, who do I need to limit my time with, and who do I need to let go? Always believe in your dreams and focus on building great relationships with great people!

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