Why should you review your inner circle? Today, we will be discussing inner circles and what you should look for in a friend.
It is a well-known phrase,
“Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are”
Well, our habits and self-worth shouldn’t be dependent on others. We need other people to push us in the right direction for advice, motivation and sometimes financial help. There are no rules which constitute a good friend, but there are several things you should always watch out for. For this, I’ve brought a story for you. Hopper and Ted are good friends. They grew up in the same neighborhood, attended each other’s birthday parties, visited each other in the hospital, studied for their final examinations together and played baseball together.
They were the perfect ‘best friends’ and swore never to stop being friends. However, as closest they were, they were different. Hopper was an academic performer and always emerged top in the class while Ted found himself in the middle of the list. At one point in high-school, Ted started avoiding Hopper because they were so different. However, Hopper quickly pointed out and talked to Ted. He explained that he performed well in school and was not going to stop because it’s the only way he could qualify for an academic scholarship.
After pointing out both their strengths, he explained why it was beneficial for both of them to help each other out to be successful in future. Today, Hopper and Ted and leading different lives in different cities but still manage time to see each other. Hopper is an entrepreneur, lecturer while Ted is a successful baseball player continuously making headlines.
In the same town, there are two other friends, Charles and Michael. They took the school bus together, loved skating, drawing and were part of the swimming team. For Charles, being part of the school’s swim team was an opportunity for him to grow and join the Olympic team one day.
Every day, he would go to school two hours early and practice before changing. He tried encouraging Michael to do the same, but later, he realized that Michael was more intent on being popular in school. During one of their school parties, one of the boys brought drugs. Charles refused even the swim team’s competition was around the corner, and he intended to win it. Michael however, was interested in drugs, and he was all for the party life.
Eventually, they stopped being friends. Charles loved Michael, but he knew that he couldn’t control his life. He’s glad that he joined his college swim team and planned on working with the college mates to become a better swimmer. Unfortunately, Michael and his friends have turned into the neighborhood junkies. Initially, Charles attempted to reach out but realized that Michael was more concerned with complaining about his life instead of trying to make it better. He got addicted to drugs.
In both cases, the friendship seemed like they could last forever, it did for those who tried to push each other forward but failed in the second story. Why? Because the people we keep in our inner circles have a significant impact on who we become.
The Negative Nellies Are Not Your Good Friends
We all go through obstacles which leave us with anger, sadness, and after some time, we also want to move on. However, some people would rather be like Michael. They would rather stay addicted to drugs and complain about their lives. As much as you would like to help these people, they will always find ways to bring your positive energy down with their self-destructive habits.
You have to decide if you want people to encourage you or those who push you down. Sometimes, we are not aware of the capabilities until people around us pointed out. In other cases, we knew what we are capable of but need people who can push us forward. Take a look at your inner circle today. DO you have friends that are smart enough to identify your strengths and support you to become better?
The Toxic Influencers Will Disturb Your Mental Peace
Not all friendships are right for you. From the story discussed above, no one understood this concept better than Charles. He was aware that he cares for his friend Michael; however, being addicted to drugs can never be considered as a good thing. Charles refused to sacrifice his future for Michael and neither you should.
You do not have to compromise your success for a friend who is too blind to be concerned about their own life. You can try and help to overcome their difficult time, but ultimately, you cannot force them to change.
Having a friend who is honest with you is a blessing. They will tell you to participate more, to be more productive and will always have your back. But not all friendships are right for you. You need to analyze people and make your inner circle.
