Have you ever heard the quote from Jim Rohn, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”? I’m sure you have. For years it’s been quoted and changed and quoted again by motivational speakers. No matter how you put it in your own words, the meaning is the same. And it’s so true. While this idea can pertain to many areas of your life, it is especially important when it comes to your money mindset. Have you told your friends or family about a business idea you had? Or a goal for paying down debt? Maybe you mentioned that you wanted to save for or a vacation or a big purchase you wanted to make. Only to have them say things like, “You’ll never pay that off.” Or, “You’ll always be in debt.” Or maybe even, “You should move, that house will swallow you up.” Maybe you’re the type of person that sees that as a challenge and it motivates you to prove them wrong. If you’re not though, having that type of criticism could keep you from moving forward. It could paralyze rather than propel.
Who are your five people? What are your financial and personal goals? Are the people who have the most influence in your life people who will support and encourage you? Better yet, do they have the skill set or knowledge to help you achieve those goals? If you’ve never done a budget before, do you want to hang around people who are financially in the red every month? If you are paying down student loan debt, do you want to hang around people who keep deferring theirs? If you want to save for your child’s college education or save for your retirement, do you want to surround yourself with people who are living in the moment with no long-term financial goals?
Maybe you never thought about that before, but take a look at your five people and their financial state. Also look at their romantic relationship. Do they have a healthy marriage or relationship? What type of parent are they? Stop and look around you. If it’s time to shift things in your life, there’s no time like the present. I made a personal choice last September to make strategic changes and strategic friendships in my life. My goals were set to a higher level and it was time to surround myself with others who had similar goals. Or at least the mindset and skill set to help me achieve mine. That was a purposeful and specific goal, and what a difference a year makes!
If you are a woman who wants to surround yourself with other women who will support and encourage you and your financial goals, please check out our closed Facebook Group: Empowering Women Financially.
Find your “Tribe”, your “peeps”, your five who will help you achieve those goals. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. I believe in you.