You may not be average, but according to Jim Rohn you are one average:"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Through his studies, Jim Rohn understood the power of peer influence. Peer pressure, he realized, isn't always a bad thing – it may be a big reason teens start smoking, but it can also promote better performance at school. school.
Related: What happened when I tried to cut negative people out of my life
Peer pressure doesn't just go away after adolescence. Whether we realize it or not, each of us faces an implicit pressure to think and act like those around us. If our friends like to drink, we are also more likely to indulge ourselves. If they prefer to hit the gym on a Friday night, we could also start our weekend with a workout.
“We” for Willpower
Health and fitness habits are not the only affected by peer pressure. When my son was born in 2017, I made a conscious effort to spend more time with friends with young children. I've picked up countless parenting hacks (and plenty of guarantees that yes, this is normal toddler behavior! ) from my parent “tribe”.
When I started taking on more gigs, I made a conscious effort to seek out the best in the business and follow them on social media. A year later, many of them have become friends and colleagues in real life, which has helped propel my career.
To improve yourself physically, mentally, professionally, socially and spiritually, surround yourself with people who challenge you. Here's how:
1. Participate in group exercises.
Whatever exercise you choose, you will get more out of it if you join a group. Research published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found that, unlike individual exercise, training with others decreases stress by 26% while significantly improving quality of life. Group classes also create an external source of accountability while teaching their members new exercise moves.
Those who live in a fitness wilderness can try group fitness apps like Gixo, which can also attract more diverse participants to support each other. You can also simply invite people to the Apple Activity app and create a game from your health goals. The most important thing is to find a way to create a support group that will help you challenge yourself and push you to achieve something bigger.
2. Join a think tank.
No matter how hard your job is, you don't challenge yourself if you spend all your professional time with the same people. Attending conferences can be a short-term solution, as can socializing after work. Rarely, however, do either parameter provide interactions deep enough to facilitate significant growth.
Instead, look for a brain cluster. Although many mastermind groups cater to business leaders, not all do. In fact, Napoleon Hill, the mastermind who came up with the concept in his 1937 book Thinking to Get Rich , grew up in a one-room school. Regardless of your background or role, you need exposure to people outside your organization to grow.
3. Find a creative community.
Contrary to the “creative genius” myth, creativity can be trained like any other skill. In his latest book on creativity, big data entrepreneur Allen Gannett argues that anyone trying to challenge themselves creatively needs a like-minded community. Not only do these communities serve as support networks, they tend to be the best sources of peer feedback.
While you can find the creative network you need when meeting nearby, don't prioritize not proximity to the specificity of your profession. For obscure interests, you'll probably find the most vibrant creative community online. Gannett's book notes that Ben &Jerry's even built one through its mailing list. After brainstorming new flavors, the ice cream brand asks its 700,000 ChunkMail subscribers to weigh in on which one they'd like to try.
4. Put “social” back in social media.
If you’re like many busy professionals, social hour has become social media hour. While the occasional Facebook session isn't likely to hurt you (and can actually help if you follow the kind of people you aspire to be average), studies have linked social media overuse to depression, anxiety , self-esteem issues, hyperactivity and sleep disturbances. In contrast, frequent socializers benefit from a lower risk of stroke, a stronger immune system, and improved memory.
Whatever direction you want to grow in, you need the good network to do so. It's not nothing; it’s a simple truth about how humans work. Neither you nor anyone else is immune to peer influence. Might as well put it to good use.
