While checking out some websites the other day, I ran across a quote from a co-founder of WiseBread.com, another personal finance blog that has some good tips. The quote says “Good money management is a lifestyle. If you surround yourself with people who share the same values, you’re more likely to stay on track”. This is very similar to one of my favorite quotes, stating that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”, by Jim Rohn.
Obviously they both speak for themselves, but many times we either don’t think things through or apply them in our lives. IF, for example, we are the average of the 5 people we surround ourselves with, and we surround ourselves with people who choose to be frugal and manage their money wisely, it stands to reason that we would find it easier to stick to our decisions as well.
So, the question is, have you thought through the people you spend the most time with these days? Are they the type of people you would want to be if you had to be someone else? Would you let them step into your life and run your house and job/business in your stead, making all choices and decisions for you? If you would not trust them to make the wise decisions you would make (or wiser even), then I say perhaps you need to reevaluate the friendship. This doesn’t necessarily mean I want you to ditch all your friends that don’t “measure up”, but maybe you need to develop better relationships with friends who meet your new found requirements, or perhaps YOU need to be the role model for your friends, encouraging them in their endeavors. Whichever of these choices you feel you were meant to do, implementing them isn’t difficult (just being aware of the choices in front of you with regard to your friends is a step in the right direction, but also, I find that deciding to be the type of friend you want to have makes a big difference as well, since so many people are NOT the type of friend they want to have), and the rewards can be plentiful, both in wealth and in personal fulfillment.
Tags: cheerleaders, Family, Financial planning, Friends, Personal responsibility, Relationships
