“Your life is a reflection of the five people with whom

you spend the most time.”  

The first time I heard that, it stopped me in my tracks.

1. I immediately realized its truth; and,
2. I immediately realized I needed to shuffle things around and upgrade my five people

It’s been years since I first heard that idea and years since I made the changes.  I was reminded of that idea again the other day when I saw it in someone’s email signature.

Now, some of you reading this may have been taken aback at what sounds snobbish, insincere or lacking in genuineness when I said I needed to “upgrade my five people”.  The truth is, sometimes you do need to upgrade your five people. 

What I meant, however, is that I expanded “people” to mean anything on which you spend a significant amount of time; which includes the things you read, what you consume via broadcast and how you are spending your leisure time.

Anything with the potential to influence you through repeated exposure, habit or routine counts. 

What also counts is how much time you allow something to occupy your mind.   If you are spending hours fretting over something, allowing it to soak up your time and thoughts, it’s become one of your five.  If you spend hours sitting in front of the TV – no matter what you are watching or why you are watching it – it’s one of your five.

If you fill your life with these kinds of activities, you don’t have time for stimulating interactions with the people who can bring new thoughts and new ideas or who can role model new behaviors for success, or through whose exposure can cause you to stretch your thinking or move in different directions or challenge you to reach higher.

And, you don’t have time for the personal reflection that turns those interactions into changes in your life.

You cheat yourself of all of that through poor, “in the moment” choices on how you spend your time.  This quote is a wake-up call for choosing wisely and choosing with thought on how you fill your mind, your time and your life.

Which brings me to another point…

Your business is a reflection of the five people with whom you spend the most time as well.

What five people are you spending time with, whose presence in your life is enhancing who you are becoming as a business owner and fueling you with new ideas and perspectives – and new levels of confidence – for business growth and business success?

If you need to shuffle things around to upgrade your five people, perhaps these questions will help you rethink how you are using your time – and who and what you invest that time with – so that you can make choices that bring a higher return on your investment (of time):

• How often do you read business books? Do you have a list of business books that you’ve committed to reading?
• How often do you read business articles? Do you have 3-4 trusted resources to turn to for reading on a range of business topics, from “how to” to current issues and trends?
• Do you have a business coach or advisor?
• Are you in a Mastermind Group?
• Are you involved with your local Chamber of Commerce?
• Do you attend live events other than networking events, such as workshops, seminars, industry meetings, educational events for the business community sponsored by local colleges and universities, etc.?
• Do you meet, communicate with or associate regularly with a business colleague who is running a successful business that’s a step or two or five ahead of where you are right now?
• Do you have friendships with other business owners outside of a formal structure (such as outside of being members of the same group) who are savvy about business and where your conversations include business matters?
• Do you have colleagues who routinely send you links to relevant business articles, or who pass along business information that think will be helpful to you?
• Do you have someone who has the wisdom and experience to be helpful, with whom to talk through a business issue when things come up in your business?

If you are a business owner and on your list of five, you don’t have people or activities that fit these descriptions, maybe it’s time to shuffle things around and upgrade your five people.

Your business is a reflection of “you”, and you and your life are a reflection of the five people with whom you spend the most time.

Who’s on your list of five?