Read any book you like about success stories and you’ll find that each one of those people had someone behind them, supporting them, pushing them along and picking them up when times get hard. I would challenge anyone claiming solo success, to take a real good look around them, upon review, they’ll likely find this isn’t true!
A supporter of you and your ideas can come in any form. It may be someone with likeminded ideas and dreams, that you can bounce ideas off and celebrate wins together. It may be a close friend, a family member, a mentor, it could just be someone you aspire to or inspires you, someone who keeps you going motivated and keeps pushing you along to strive to higher ground, to be a better version of yourself and most importantly to believe in you, even when you’ve lost faith.
Making a change in your life can be truly terrifying. Growing as a person and achieving those goals you’ve only dreamed of until now can be like jumping off a cliff, right? It’s scary as hell, but often, you’ll jump to greater ground and to do that, you need to surround yourself if the right people.
Who must you surround yourself with?
There are a few important characteristics that you should for in a supporter.
People who truly understand what you are trying to achieve and most importantly WHY you are trying to achieve it. Not everyone will want to come on your journey but the few that do, will be your supporters, your warriors, your shoulder to cry on.
People with a positive mindset. The negative nelly needs to stay at home. This type of person will only hinder your performance and progress. That’s not to say that they shouldn’t be a realist – of course they should, but constantly picking up on the things that didn’t go so well will only lead to feelings of failure.
People who you feel you can be honest with and them with you. Do you have someone who you could look in the eye and say, “my friend, that is a terrible idea” and not be offended? These are the kind of people you should be surrounding yourself with. Honest, truthful people who, with your best intentions at heart, will be open about what they think.
Likeminded people who have goals and dreams on their own. Supporters who are on the same wavelength as you, will be able to fully understand where you are in your journey and how you are feeling. Empathy is a powerful tool when it comes to success and will be key to unlocking your true potential.
Someone who you can count on. Someone who will be there to listen to you, regardless of what they have going on. Selfless human beings are hard to come across but if you find them, hold onto them tight.
My challenge to you today is to take 5 minutes to look around you and ask yourself who your supporters are, drop them a message, show gratitude for their ongoing support. Perhaps you are a supporter yourself to a friend or family member? What qualities do you feel you have as a supporter? How could you be better?
I’ll leave you with this powerful quote from Oprah Winfrey “Surround yourself only by people who are going to lift you higher”.