“Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” — Misty Copeland.
Human behaviors are innate or learned one.
The innate behaviors are your automatic responses; and they include instincts and reflexes like sneezing, shivering, yawning, quickly pulling the hand away from a hot surface, blinking eyes, etc.
The learned behaviors are your active responses that involve the brain and develop because of experiences and lessons. Individuals that surround you influence and induce your learned behaviors.
Hence, those behaviors handle your survival and growth.
How do you respond to internal and external stimuli?
You either respond automatically or learn how to react to particular stimuli.
As you are a gregarious organism, you love to live together. You interact, learn, influence, share, support, and grow together. In this way, every individual with whom you interact affects you. An excellent companion alters your habits, attitudes, moral values and success in your life. That is why audits of individuals that surround you are imperative.
In this article, you will read about the importance of agreeable companions in your life.
A Personal Story
I remember my first-year college degree examination. The examination centre was outstation and around 200 km away from my college. My friends and I were excited as we went on an extensive tour. There was no intervention from our parents, too.
We reached one day ahead at our examination centre and celebrated togetherness with friends at the guest house.
At the time of dinner, one of my friends brought a bottle of beer and egg omelets. He opened the seal of the bottle and poured into five glass tumblers. We were five friends there. He then put the egg omelet on the center of a dining table. That was easily accessible to all.
The beer produced mixed reactions. 3 out of 5 were excited to take the sips of the beer and advocated its importance. The rest one and I objected and displayed our dissatisfaction.
“Drinking beer reduces the risk of developing heart disease.” One friend said.
“One to two drinks per day reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and heart attack.” Another friend supported him.
“What about side effects?” One of my friends asked.
“Drinking beer can cause many side effects, including confusion, trouble controlling emotions, loss of coordination, drowsiness, trouble breathing, low blood sugar, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, and others,” I said.
“You are a lean and thin boy. Drink beer daily. Within a month, you will gain body weight.” One of my friends suggested it to me.
After a brief discussion, one friend concluded and declared, “Whoever is interested will drink beer and if anyone has any objection, please shut your mouth. I am going to drink it as I have invested money in it.”
No further discussion took place. One of my friends and I did not drink. The dinner was over.
I remembered what my father said to me before I came to the examination centre. He warned me and said,
“There is a saying that if you enter the Kajal-cell, you will get a black mark of Kajal for sure; even if you are alert.”
(Kajal is a black color powder used as a cosmetic in India and other Asian countries)
Emanuel James Rohn or professionally known as Jim Rohn, popularized the Principle of Average. He was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.
He famously said, “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”
If you are successful, it means you are with a companion of successful individuals.
If you are financially sound, it means your companions are also financially sound.
If you are energetic and enthusiastic, you interact with energetic and enthusiastic individuals.
The reverse is also true. You will agree with that. Imagine!
Here, it is also important to note that the individuals around us have both negative and positive effects on us. Our decisions and choices build our future and our nature. Individuals as a team with a common goal bring success. Think of the importance of group studies. In the group studies, you increase the chances of sharing your knowledge and also improving it.
Rahim, a poet who lived in India during the rule of Mughal emperor Akbar and also one of the Navaratna in his court, said in his teachings that those who are good-natured human beings do not get spoiled even by bad associations. Like, poisonous snakes do not have any poisonous effect on the sandal tree even when it wraps.
No doubt your surrounding people influence you. But it’s also true your success depends on your choices. Think before you act. You avoid going for instant gratification and short-sighted goals. Think in terms of long-term outcomes and legacies.
Remember, you are as successful as you surround yourself with successful persons.
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(This Article was first published on medium.com)