Who You Spend Time With Is Who You Become

Your habits determine your life.

But what determines your habits?

As much as you’d like to say that they come from within, you know that’s only part of the story.

The other part is that your habits come from other people. Their thinking, their values, and their habits rub off on you. It’s hard to see because it happens gradually. But it’s undeniable.

You’ve probably noticed picking up people’s laughs and mannerisms and speech patterns before from spending time with them.

So, is it a leap to assume that you pick up their habits as well? What they eat, how they live, how they think.

Sure, some habits come from within. But, others are shaped by people you are around, whether you like it or not.

And if your habits determine your life and define who you are, and those habits are shaped by the people around you – then it’s especially important to pick who those people are.

To pick people not just based on whether you can tolerate them. But on whether you can tolerate becoming them. Even partially.

Are the people you’re surrounded by happy? Successful? Wise? Hard working?

Do they do great work? Live healthily? Make lots of money? Practice kindness? Are their goals high? Do they even have goals or have they given up on setting them?

Do you admire them? Enough to partially become them?

Or are you just settling? Justifying because it’s convenient, socially or financially?

If you’re not ready to become them, it’s time to change the people before they change you.

But why is it so socially inconvenient to do just that? Because most people aren’t willing to sacrifice to live extraordinary lives. They aim for convenience, not impact. And that’s okay.

If you want to be an anomaly, though, you’ve got to act like one first.

Who are the best people to surround yourself with, then? The people you want to become.

These people are more accessible than ever thanks to the internet. You can spend time with them by listening carefully to their thoughts on interviews on YouTube, podcasts, blog posts, and books they’ve written. Study who they are, what they do, and how they think.

Pretty soon, you’ll become a collection of the traits you most admire in others.

When you choose who surrounds you, you choose who you become over time.

So choose wisely. Who do you want to become?