Are You the Average of the Five People You Spend the Most Time With?

What to Do When Your Friends Don’t Share Your Financial Values

To bring this concept to life, let’s talk about my recent interaction with a group of young, budding investors. 

The discussions inspired this topic, highlighting the importance of having meaningful conversations about money and wealth, especially when building a secure financial future.

During our conversation, one key theme emerged: many young investors lacked people in their immediate circle who could engage in valuable dialogues about money and wealth. 

They asked, “What do you do if your friends don’t share your financial values and aspirations?”

The reality is that our formative friendships, forged during high school or university, might not align with our evolving life goals and values. 

So, should we discard these relationships for the sake of personal growth? 

How Friends Affect Your Wealth, Health, and Happiness

Let’s address some practical tips and share insights on how your network can influence your wealth accumulation journey. 

To establish our argument, let’s refer to a significant study by Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, known for being one of the largest and longest-running health studies ever conducted.

The study revealed startling facts. 

For example, if a friend of yours becomes obese, your likelihood of gaining weight over the next two to four years increases by 45%. Remarkably, even if a friend of a friend becomes obese, your chances of gaining weight rise by about 20%, despite you possibly not knowing that person. 

Similar trends were observed with smoking habits and happiness levels. The implications of such findings suggest we don’t exist in isolation. 

Our immediate circles and even their extended networks can affect various aspects of our lives. Therefore, you must consciously curate the company you keep. 

Without expanding and improving your circle, it’s challenging to experience growth—financially, personally, or health-wise.

How to Choose the Right Friends For Every Stage of Life

To add nuance to Rohn’s statement, the influences on our lives extend beyond the five people closest to us. 

Our influence circles are much larger, which can help us become more mindful of our relationships. But remember, it’s not as black and white as it seems.

In my personal journey, I’ve understood that some relationships are seasonal. 

They are most significant at certain stages of our lives; when those stages pass, it’s time to evolve our circles. This isn’t a binary exercise of discarding old friends but instead selecting mindful associations that align with our current interests and growth goals. 

One example is my personal fitness journey. 

I sought a relationship with a body conditioning coach—a paid, commercial relationship, yes—but one that had a transformative impact on my life. 

Extrapolating this concept to other life areas can similarly profoundly affect your success trajectory.

How to Network for Lasting Connections

If you’re serious about levelling up, it’s important to extend your influence circle. This doesn’t mean ditching your friends but connecting with individuals more likely to tip the scales in your favour. 

Sometimes, these connections may be commercial, sometimes organic, but always proactive. Focusing on deep, meaningful conversations rather than fleeting exchanges is crucial. 

Building lasting relationships often requires leaving your comfort zone—attending seminars or conferences, for instance. 

But remember, the goal is to create lasting connections, not simply exchange business cards. 

3 Questions To Ask Before Expanding Your Network 

When consciously expanding my network, I focus on three questions

• Do I feel aligned with this person from a values perspective? 
• Do they see the world differently, and can their worldviews help me evolve? 
• Do they have the results that I want in some capacity? 

If the answer to all these questions is yes, then I invest my efforts in cultivating that relationship 

Going back to the original question, “Are you the average of the five people you spend the most time with?” 

The answer is both yes and no. 

Final Words

Considering that we spend a significant portion of our lives at work, we must surround ourselves with people who inspire growth. This, in turn, helps us live life by design, not by default.

Remember, life isn’t about being the average of the five people closest to you. It’s about deliberately curating the circle of influence that helps you level up and live your best life.

In closing, finding those one or two people with whom you can have high-quality conversations about money and wealth can be game-changing. 

So, continue to strive, grow, and evolve in your journey towards financial freedom and beyond.