Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I like this quote because it makes me think about the important people in my life and how much time I spend with them. Encouraged by Rohn’s statement, I took an inventory today of who I spend the most time with. I hope this process helps you identify who should be in your top five.
People I spend the most time with:
- Co-workers. Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours with this group. Jobs come and go. Therefore, how can you maximize this season with your co-workers so that when you look back you will know that you made the most of your moments with them?
- Family. I love spending time with my wife, children, and extended family. After work and on weekends I try to maximize the time we spend together. You may not always have control over the quantity of this time but your choices do influence the quality.
- God. Bible study, prayer, worship, fasting, and serving are a few of the ways that I experience God’s presence in a tangible way. Seeking God’s presence on a daily basis includes routines that encourage growth in your personal relationship with God.
- Close friends. I only have a few people I consider true friends. The end result of our time together is that we are both sharpened. I encourage you to identify your best friends and be intentional to spend quality time with them.
- Other people. I also intentionally make time to disciple a few other people. I really enjoy the process of taking what I have learned and passing it on to others. As it is with many opportunities to serve, you will find that you gain far more than you give.
- Self. Self-awareness is perhaps one of the most important traits for continued growth. Whether through reflection, journaling, blogging, or other means of self-expression, don’t overlook the importance of regularly connecting with your own thoughts and feelings. Self-assessment of strengths and weakness allows you to identify progress and areas for improvement.
- Influencers. In his book The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller writes about how he has spent so much time with the works of C.S. Lewis that he can now imagine how Lewis would react to almost any situation. I feel the same way about the speakers and authors I’ve spent a significant amount of time with. Even though I’ve never met most of them, their influence on my life has been profound. Intentionally seek experts in the areas you want to grow in and absorb their teaching until you can almost hear their voice when you face difficult decisions.
As you can tell, I came up with more than five important people. I also emerged with clarity about the people I want to invest the most time in. Not only that, but I thought about ways to be intentional about who influences me.
Who are the five people you spend the most time with? Why do you choose to invest in them, and how do they impact who you are?
“The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (HCSB)
Additional Resources
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