“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
Mark Twain

Think of the five people (outside your family) who you spend the most time with. Are they successful, happy, positive, caring and selfless? If you want to be successful, happy, positive, caring and selfless, the formula is simple. Make sure those five people who you spend most of your time with share those same qualities. And here is the tough news. If those people don’t possess the positive qualities you wish for in yourself, it may be time to replace them with people who do. And while that is often a difficult task, it’s important to realize the negative thoughts and words that you are exposed to DO have a direct correlation on your ability to succeed. In short, their thoughts and words are poison to your mind and force it to be something that it doesn’t want to be.

Author of the book “Winning-How Winners Think, What Champions Do” Edie Raether told me this week that people’s incomes are usually the average of the top five people they spend time with. So if you are in sales, seek out the top performers in your company and build a closer relationship. If you are a leader in your company, first coach the negative employee, but be prepared to remove them from your team (tough love). If you are unhappy in your current position because of a belittling boss, offset the negative vibe with enough positive influencers. Then make a plan to move on to a more positive career.

The good news is, YOU have control over the influence you are exposed to.  And as you make the tough choices of who your influencers will be, be aware that the benefits of replacing the bad with the good far outweigh the pain associated with distancing yourself from those that hinder your ambitions. And by surrounding yourself with “greatness,” there is a 100% chance that you too will find the greatness you seek.

To learn how your mind can create greatness, go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm to hear Brian interview Edie Raether, author of the book “Winning.”  As president of PRECISE Selling, Brian Sullivan helps improve sales, customer service, negotiations, leadership, and presentation skills through seminars and Internet training programs. He also hosts “Entrepreneurial Moments,” a radio show on business and personal development. For more on his speaking, consulting or book, visit: www.PreciseSelling.com or email: bsullivan@preciseselling.com.

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