They say that every person becomes the average of the five people he spends the most time with. And I think that is a fairly accurate aphorism. But what do you do when there are noting but unsuccessful, unmotivated, low-life clowns around you? Are you simply destined to become them?

No. There are two things you can do.

Surround yourself by proxy. If you can't directly meet and hang with them, gather all of the material of the most successful people you know of and immerse yourself in it. Tapes, programs, videos, books. The same hour you spend watching some bullshit reality TV show that does nothing for your success or personal development, you can spend reading a book or listening to audio programs of someone who has some mental food for you to consume. This is freely available to you right now.
Lead your group. You can be the person who sets the standard for everyone else, pulling the group up with you. Anyone who resists or doesn't want to be on board, gets left behind. And if none of your current friends buy in to your new way of thinking, you are responsible for dismissing them.


Always remember that your #1 priority in life is to yourself: You cannot take care of anyone else until you've taken care of yourself. When the oxygen masks drop on an airplane, the directions are to put yours on first -- yes, even before your two-year-old's -- then help others. If the people in your circle aren't making you better, it is your duty to change that circle -- either the people, or their way of being. And if you don't, you have only yourself to blame.