You Are Who Your Friends Are by Jack Canfield

It is important to acknowledge the power of positive thinking. This goes not only for yourself, but also for the people you surround yourself with. Attitudes are catchy. Whether they are positive or negative, they are rubbing off on you. If you are around people who complain, judge, spread negative gossip, blame others, and play victim roles, chances are you do, too.

Who are you around most often? Are they achieving their dreams or complaining about their circumstances? Do they look up to others who are go-getters and high achievers, or do they make fun of them and roll their eyes? How do they treat you? If you are spending time with people who do not support your dreams and goals, it's seriously time to look at whom you call your friends!

Successful people surround themselves with successful people! They want to be around others who are achieving their goals and making things happen for themselves. They want to know their secrets and strategies for winning. They are not embarrassed to be hanging out with the "nerds" of this world who are studying for success and making good money.

You, too, need to surround yourself with positive influences! Join the clubs that other successful people are in, learn what they are learning, act how they act, and talk how they talk. It doesn't matter from what walk of life you are coming from. Show up and transform yourself into an achiever! Success is not just for those who have had it easy, who came from supportive homes or had expensive educations. There are so many successful people who rose up from very poor conditions and overcame obstacles to achieve the goals they had their sights set on. But they did not get there by hanging out with negative energy drainers!

Have you been limiting your success by letting yourself be influenced by other people's negative energy? Make a list of all the people you spend time with and make note of the kind of personality they have. How many negative people are you around every day? How many people on your list are achieving their dreams, are supporting yours, and are taking responsibility for their lives? You're better off spending time alone than with people who hold themselves back with a victim mentality.

Simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Join the clubs that will put you in with a positive circle of friends. Set a new standard for yourself and don't become friends with people who fall below that standard. Invite your old friends to come with you and you'll know who has potential and who to stop being around entirely.

You have to take responsibility for this area of your life. Look around you at the people you call friends, you act just like them! Does it make you proud? Are you selling yourself short? Or are you on the right track? Keep successful people around you and you will be successful! Be around people who can accomplish their goals and you will accomplish yours! The choice is yours to make.