beingcoreybayless

“Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream.” -Colin Powell

That’s real talk right there… I meant to get this posted the other day but it just didn’t happen… My apologies to those who were anticipating it and thanks to all who have stayed tuned in…

Let’s get down to it…

Who is you surround yourself with is so much more important than people tend to understand. I have literally posted things before about people minding their circle, and these were not always received well. People made comments about me being superficial or only carrying about money or not having my priorities right… This is all laughable to me.
The kicker was those who were so quick to defend their station in life stating things like “material possessions aren’t important to me” or “I’m happy with my friends and don’t need more out of life as I have all I want”

Those are cute “Hallmark” answers but they’re all meaningless. If they were true, they wouldn’t need to be said. There are many things in life that must be explained but lots of things shouldn’t have to be and when they are, they tend be explained just as a sense of overcompensation for a need of validity. Or just because the particular individual needs to reassure (or lie to) themselves. It is sad to see such a lack of self awareness but it is a common situation.

It is human nature to to correct the cognitive dissonance one has in their own mind by continuing to try to convince themselves that what they have is what they want….obviously.

So, we’ll move on from that for now… I can divulge more on that in a later blog.

Tonight, I want to give some tips on your circle. Of course there are people in our lives that have just happened to be there out of convenience…. a college friend, an old co-worker, a random acquaintance… People that otherwise you may have little even in common with, but they tend to stay there just because they have been there for so long. This is not a bad thing… It is a part of life. The problem is when this becomes the norm. When all of your primary circle are merely people who have positioned themselves there only by accident and with no intention of growth.

This is where things may begin to touch a nerve with some of you…if it does, GOOD. You are obviously the one I am speaking to.

Your circle should begin to become smaller as you grow older and wiser…but not just smaller, but should begin to be a circle with intent. You should be positioning yourself in a spot with those around you who want to lift you up and propel you forward, not those who wish to stifle you because you are different. Those in my main circle may not all think like me or have similar goals in their lives but what they do have is an unending level of support for me and where I am going. Some of them are going to give all they can to help me get where I’m going. Some are going to join me on my journey. The others may not be on a similar path as me, but they have my back, one hundred, and will always support me. That is the way it should be, and you could ask any one of them, they all know with out question, that I will ride with them to the end and beyond.

I bring something to the table with them and they all know that we in it together. I am a firm believer that God did not out us here to walk this world alone… He had intention and that intention involved community. But who is in that community is where I get a little more particular about the situation. You have to be mindful about who you surround yourself with.

So to end back at the quote from the beginning, those who are intended for your circle are those who will help push you towards more than you ever thought you would be going after while others… will smother and crush your spirit and motivation towards all the greatness that you are heading towards. Some will do it because they can’t understand what you are going after and others are bitter about their own situation…

No matter the reason or even if it is subconscious, they aren’t the problem because they aren’t in control. You are, and you choose to allow them to push you forward or break you down.