Your Fave Five
I first heard about this concept from Tim Ferris and found it almost instantly eye-opening:
you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time.
The reality with this idea is that you cannot always choose, or easily replace, who you spend the most time with.
Boss: I’ve been fortunate to work for bosses who challenge me, encourage me to level up, and respect me for my contributions. After a few of these in a row, I can’t imagine tolerating anything else. I don’t think I’d last working for someone who didn’t make me a better person.
Spouse: another area where I’ve been lucky! I have a wildly supportive husband who knows when I need to be help accountable and when I need to be hugged.
Closest colleagues: I don’t get to choose these people, so I need to offset my time with them via stronger people.
Closest friends: choose great people! Don’t be afraid of outgrowing or “graduating” from a friend. This can be difficult to do, but it’s critical if you find that one of your friends leaves you sapped/drained rather than inspired/uplifted.
Your choice! This is where I fill my time with people I admire by reading books, listening to podcasts, or attending events. These are the same folks on my Mentor page.