The Fundamental Principle of Association

Have you ever heard the saying, “Bird of a feather stick together.”? Simply put the person you associate with. Indeed, associating with certain people will have a major effect on how your life turns out to be. One should never underestimate the power of influence. Being around people who are kind, thoughtful, and caring will certainly bring out the best in you. On the other hand, being around people who are negative, who use inappropriate language or are stingy, will certainly bring out the worst in you. So how do you know if you are around people who will help you grow and become successful.

Here are questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Who are your friends? Are they educated, sophisticated, giving, caring, kind, polite, dedicated and ambitious? Or the opposites?
2. These friends you currently have, do they bring out the best in you, make you think, help you grow, assist you to be disciplined, push you to succeed? Or the Opposite?
3. Do these friends need you more than you need them? And to what extent?
4. Do you accept or are you in agreement with your current association?

If you truly want to make changes in your life, you must answer all the above questions honestly and truthfully. Even if you have to make some radical changes in your life that may hurt you now. You will greatly appreciate your decisions later in life. After clearly reviewing your current association by using the answers for the above questions you will need to create 4 categories:

1. Immediate Disassociation: Those are the people you need to cut off completely and immediately.
2. Defined Association: These are the people who will meet only once in a while.
3. Broadened Association: These are the best friends you need to keep and the relationships you need to nurture. These people will influence your life positively and help you become the best you can be.
4. Special/Unique Association: These people are the mentors of your life you will need to learn from and admire. These people will guide you and establish strong pathways for you to follow. These people will help you live a memorable life and establish a legacy. Know however, that initially the task of having to review your association is a challenging responsibility which will require patience, realization and the will to change your life.

Yet you will soon discover spending most of your time with select of your group of good people you will greatly and positively affect your life and those around you forever.