You Are Who You Friend: Why You Will Go As Far As Your Friends Go
Growing up, we experience the rigorous process of obtaining the perfect friend group after going through backstabbing, relocation and simply outgrowing others. Though trying, the process makes current friends that much more special.
They’ve survived life’s natural weeding process: lasting the test of time. Friends are our safety blankets; they bring a sense of warmth that bares security and support. Through trial and error, we learn who fits our personalities best and what we can and cannot tolerate.
Sure, some of them aren’t perfect, but neither are we, and having someone who has witnessed you at your lowest point is enough for your loyalty.
I once read a quote that went along the lines of:
Show me your friends, and I will show you your future. Show me the five people who are closest to you, and I will show you who you will be in five years.
This statement rings a bell of serious truth that makes having close friends even more valuable. Each of your closest friends has habits and disciplines that you will invariably pick up, regardless of whether or not those attributes are positive.
It would be impossible to accomplish any goal without people around you who can compliment the attributes needed to achieve it. When I look at my life, the places I’ve been and the things I've accomplished, I know my friends' influences were a huge factor that motivated me to accomplish my goals.
In high school, everyone around me inspired me to choose a school out of state. While in college, my friends taught me to never stop learning and to never stop dreaming. I couldn’t have reached that level of motivation solely on my own.
Losing a friend is rarely intentional, but sometimes necessary. You never want to be in a binding relationship that jeopardizes your growth as an individual. Real friends know how to respect the decisions you make, especially when it’s for your benefit.
While maintaining the right friend group is essential to your well-being, it doesn't give you license to go through life deleting phone numbers and excommunicating those you believe to be holding you back in life. It’s more about ensuring that your friends' mentality compliments your own.
Your friend group atmosphere should never be negative. You should never feel any unwarranted pressure that does not push you into the direction of your calling and destiny, which is the only pressure a good friend will provide.
Imagine the possibilities if your circles of friends all choose to constantly inspire each other? What if you guys held each other to standards of excellence, made one another accountable for your dreams and vowed to never let each other give up?
What if you were able to witness every single one of your friends' dreams came true, and they yours? I think that is what that quote is getting at; that the people with whom you spend most of your time will make you or break you.
The journey of life has many perils; it's incredibly unpredictable, and nothing is ever certain. So, surrounding ourselves with a group of individuals who will not only help us strive for our goals, but also alleviate the stresses of life, is a luxury I think we all deserve.
Photo Courtesy: We Heart It
