“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with”

So said the American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn.

See, the values, habits and behaviours of the people we spend the most time with have an effect on us.

A big effect on us, in fact. 

We observe how these people move through the world. 

We hear them talk about their beliefs.

We see how their lives are going.

And the more time we spend with them, the more these things rub off on us.  The more our identity, choices and overall outlook on life are influenced by these people.

Now, here’s the nub for me…

If this rule is true (and I can see a lot of truth in it – more of a law than a theory to my mind), then it pays to know your five people.

It pays to know who you’re turning into.

Because if your five people are Ryan Gosling, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos, Rihanna and King Charles, your life could look very different a year from now than if your five people are your mate Bob, the pizza delivery guy, Ant from Ant and Dec, Princess Zelda and your pet hamster.

And if you work a 9 to 5 like I used to (or the 8 to 8, or whatever), there’s a good chance that at least a couple of your 5 people aren’t your friends…

Or your family…

Or Ant or Dec…

But are, instead, your colleagues.

And I’ll wager a pint of Guinness Zero that you spend more time with your boss than you do with some of your best buddies.  Maybe even your partner.

All of which prompts the question…

Do you want to turn into your boss?

Do you want to eat what they eat, wear what they wear, share their fitness levels, spend your weekend like they spend their weekend, believe the same things that they do, have a similar outlook and attitude on life, and just generally move through the world like they do?

Or has it already started? Do you live in a similar type of neighbourhood?  Drive a similar car?  Go on similar holidays?  Or grumble about the same injustices?

To my mind, thinking about the sort of life your boss is living is one of the clearest ways to see the direction your own life is moving in.

So I’ll ask again…

Do you want to turn into your boss?

Maybe you do.  Maybe you’d love to! 

And that’s all good by me. I’m not here to tell you what’s wrong or right for you.

But if reading this email has your spider senses tingling and something feels a little “off”…

And if you look around at your colleagues and think “their life isn’t the life I want to live”…

Then this could be a big part of the reason why.

It’s a feeling I know oh-so well myself.

And, over the course of 13 years, I saw the 5 person rule in action time and time again.

Perhaps something to keep in mind anyway.

I’ll let it percolate with you.

And if you do have a sneaky suspicion that you might be moving in the wrong direction, I can help.

My coaching can help too.

I’m not taking on new coaching clients at the moment. 

But if you’d like to be notified when some slots open up, you can join the waiting list here:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

The link has a few more details on the sort of coaching I offer.

And once you’re on the waiting list, you’ll be the first to know when new slots become available.

That’s all for today. 

 - Tom