Ready for a story that changed my life? At 14, my dad dropped a truth bomb: "You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." 🌟
Back then, I shrugged it off. But man, was he right! This video is all about that lightbulb moment and how it reshaped everything - from my friendships to my business ventures. 🌐
In this podcast episode, join me as I share why upgrading your inner circle isn't just smart, it's essential. We're talking real impact here, not just New Year's resolution fluff. It's about surrounding yourself with people who challenge, inspire, and push you towards greatness. 💥
🔥 So, are you ready to elevate your game? Let's dive into this journey together and transform our lives, one connection at a time. Subscribe for more stories and life-changing insights!
When I was 14 years old, I was sitting on the deck with my dad just shooting the s**t, you know, just father-son stuff. He shared with me some wisdom, knowledge that I'm sure he learned from others, that has profoundly changed my life. Unfortunately, I did not really pay much attention to it at the time because I was, like most of us were, a know-it-all teenager. His words of wisdom didn't really make sense until I got much older. This is what he said,"Mike, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with". Now, when he said it, I was like"yeah dad, whatever, I'm like playing baseball and I'm golfing with my teammates." You know, I've got my school friends. I was kind of a nerd in high school. I had my study buddies and my National Honor Society group, so I had my peer network. I was not thinking about how my friends in high school and college and beyond would have an impact on my life, my health, my companies, my net worth, my parenting skills, my leadership skills. I don't think too many 14-year-olds go there. Unfortunately, my dad died of a heart attack a few years after he shared this advice. So I really wish I could go back now and thank him and tell him how right he was. Now, I would imagine you've heard that saying before, or something similar, at various times throughout your life but I do have a question, have you ever actually taken action? What I mean is have you intentionally tried to upgrade your peer network or any of your networking groups? Have you joined any organizations or masterminds with the sole intention of hanging around with people that play the sport of entrepreneurship better or differently than you do? And I'm not just talking about passive action like joining a referral group where hugs and cuddles are the focus. I'm talking about massive, let's knock the damn door down aggressively seeking out new people to put in my life. So ask yourself, as we close out one year and blast into another, are your existing peers, your friends, your family, your coworkers, your networking groups, all the people that you hang around with, are they pushing you forward or are they holding you back? Are they supporting your mission to build an amazing company that is better, stronger, faster, brings in more cash, provides you with more time freedom, has more of an impact in the world, helps you realize your dream. Do you have people in your life that will call"bulls**t" on your excuses? I can promise you one thing, if you are always the smartest, most driven person in the room. You're in the wrong room. Period. End of discussion. So as we close out another year and we stop eyeing those sparkly New Year's resolutions, let's stop the bulls**t: Most of that New Year, New Me crap is simply garbage. But here's a real-deal change that's not just some fancy fairy tale- it's about who you rub shoulders with. Now, let me paint the picture. It's December, you're scribbling down your goals for next year- same old song and dance stuff you do year over year. But this time, you make a conscious decision to upgrade your inner circle, to start hanging around with people who are where you want to be. Entrepreneurs who don't just talk big, they live big. People who aren't just dreaming of success; they're designing it, day in and day out. Now, if you think even for a second that your peer group won't affect your trajectory? Think again. It's kind of like this- if you're always hanging around with people who are content with the status quo, who never pushed the envelope, who are happy playing small ball, guess what? That complacency is contagious. Now, on the other hand, if you put yourself in the same room with high-flyers, risk-takers, visionaries- their drive, their hustle, their relentless pursuit of next-level will start to rub off on you. Now, I was recently at a 3-day event in Austin, TX and hanging around with a group of what I would call high-flyers, next level players. The discussions at dinner were about taking a company public, their next venture fundraise, the integration of a$50 million company they just bought, and the technical problems they were having with their private jet. I'm talking next level conversation! I'm telling you, it was very cool! My message about your peer group is really about reshaping your mindset, your standards, the very definition of what's possible. When you're surrounded by people who challenge you, who stretch your thinking, who make you question your limits- that's when the magic happens. That's when you start seeing opportunities where others will only see obstacles. So, as we roll into the New Year, make a resolution that actually means something and quite honestly, face these facts, your comfort zone will kill you. Step out of complacency and step into a circle that challenges you, inspires you, pushes you to be the best damn version of you. Remember, we're not just playing the game of business here; we're playing the game of life. And in this game, the stakes are high, the rewards are monumental, and the only way to win is to play alongside those who refuse to settle for anything less than extraordinary.