Do not be deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character [amplified bible]. (1Corinthians 15:33)
It has been proven beyond doubt that the people you surround yourself with, can make or destroy you, as they influence your future. As evil communication corrupts good manners, so does toxic relationship kills dreams and visions.
PEOPLE is a major ingredient in cooking your greatness in life. Not just "any" people but those with great mindset.
These are people whose results will challenge you to be better without intimidating you. Their growth will keep you on your toes and push you to be your best.
THE RICH MINDSET
The rich only befriend the rich, ever wondered why? It's because when one rich man speaks a language of great ideas, others easily understand. And actions follow. At a point in my life, people around me started feeling intimidated by my moves and feats. This reaction is because of their mindset.
It is usually very difficult to excel among this kind of people. When you share great ideas with them, they can only see the lapses and how it won't work out. So when it’s just you among such people, it becomes very difficult to break grounds and do great things.
The difference between the rich and the poor is not the money but their ability to recognize and accommodate great ideas that will generate great results either in wealth or in influence. While the rich are risk takers, the poor are usually over-cautious. And this, this simple trait has sealed the fates of generations. It's safe to say that, to be rich is to have a rich mind that allows you make the most of every opportunity and to be poor is the opposite.
REDEFINING PEOPLE
There are 'people' and there are people. Some people envy success and react negatively. These people may term your changed approach to life as proud. These people are so grounded in toxicity that they'd go extra length to defend their weakness. They may even quote the scriptures, just to bring you down, bring you back. But beloved, you should never lower your standards for these people. Instead, let your journey be a mystery to them.
There may be a need to redefine your people. Some people have been 'right' for you in the past, but not anymore. And that's okay. As a child, you needed children and now as an adult, you need adults. Identifying your purpose is the first step to redefining your circle of friends. Not everyone is relevant to your purpose and you'd be saving yourself a lot of toxicity by staying away from this set of people. These sets of people are easy to identify.
They are not enthusiastic about your plans.
They discourage you by making you feel your dreams aren't feasible.
They don't encourage you to be consistent.
They don't miss opportunities to listen to your complaints, in order to affirm their stance.
Blood or long-term relationships are not what qualify people's relevance to our purpose. Some family and friends may be relevant, but not all. Looking back, I have come to realize there are very few family and friends who have supported my vision.
It's funny but many people around you would choose not to see your dreams. They would challenge the authenticity of your vision. They would question the feasibility of your goals. They would mock your innovation and frustrate your efforts at consistency.
These would come from people supposedly close to you. You may be tempted to let your results be modeled after these people's expectations. And when it seems you're not meeting their expectations, you may begin to lose confidence in yourself.
There are lots of people around you, who don’t believe in you, who will never support you but are waiting for you to fail. Such people are enough to be your motivation to greatness than any motivational quote. –Solomon Godwin
YOUR KIND OF PEOPLE
I realized the purpose journey is personal and so are the rewards. But there's a vital place of PEOPLE. So, I defined the kind of people I want. These are people who share my vision and are like-minded.
If there are five people around your life who are visionless and unserious, you didn’t count well, they are actually six. -Apostle Joshua Selman
You must connect with not just people, but people with great mindset. You will learn from these people and they'll add value to you over time.
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. Proverb 13: 20
I have streamlined my social media relationships to those that are valuable. It is so comforting to know that whether it's What Sapp or Twitter, I'm surrounded by valuable contacts.
And it didn't just happen. I put in intentional efforts to make it happen. This is because I realized the kind of people I need are those that'll help me grow and encourage me through the growth process.
Why is suicide rampant? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why is oppression a norm in our society? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why is depression killing many? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why is there so much frustration? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why is self-hatred to common? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many feel unloved? THE PEOPE around them.
Why are many people insecure? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many miss their path in life? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many wish they never came from their parents? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many feel they are failing in life? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many people have low-esteem? THE PEOPLE around them.
Why do many lack self-confidence? THE PEOPLE around them. Etc.
It boils down to a major thing — The people. While the right people would encourage your journey to and through purpose, no matter how difficult; the wrong people will discourage your efforts.
There are lots of role the people around you play in your becoming. Since the people around you play a major role in your becoming, you should check yourself. Check those around you and the influence they have on you — whether it's geared towards your greatness or not.
SO ASK YOURSELF; WHO DO I SURROUND MYSELF WITH?
WILL THEY MAKE ME GREAT OR MAKE ME SMALL?
This is a question you need to ask yourself now, because the people are too powerful and delicate to be ignored and taken with levity.
Thank you for reading.