“You become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn
“After 25 years of research, the choice of a reference group is more important in determining your success or failure, than any other single factor.” – David McCleland, Human Performance Expert, Harvard University
In the spirit of those quotes, if you could choose any 5 people, dead or alive, to be your reference group and the individuals you spend the most time with, who would they be? Who are your ultimate role models for your vision of success?
When I pondered these questions, I thought about the traits that I want to espouse and the accomplishments I hope to achieve someday. From this, I will share my list with you in hopes it might spur some ideas of your own.
Tom’s Fab Five
1. Jesus – I strive to love and be kind to others each and every day. Who better than Jesus to be my mentor for those traits?
2. Abraham Lincoln – I strive to stand up for what I believe is right, even when it isn’t popular. I also want to be a great leader and communicator who can inspire others to work for something larger than themselves.
3. Warren Buffett – I want to be wealthy but also always have a clear understanding of what is most important in life. This wise quote of his says it all, “Basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you.”
4. Tony Robbins – I strive to positively impact the lives of individuals through my work as an educator and entrepreneur. Who better to be in my Fab Five than someone who has done this for tens of millions of people?
5. My Dad – I strive for success in all aspects of my life – success as a husband, father, friend… success with both health and wealth. I have yet to find a better example of someone who epitomizes this type of well-rounded success than my very own father.
I challenge you to identify your Fab Five. Once you have your list, brainstorm ways you can “spend time” with these individuals, perhaps as part of your 2018 New Year’s Resolution.
For instance, I plan to take my Dad out to dinner once a month in 2018. As for the other four, I will spend one week each month focused on one of these individuals and learning from them by reading books written by or about them, watching YouTube videos or listening to podcasts of interviews with them, etc.
And if you happen to talk to Mr. Buffett or Mr. Robbins, tell them some guy in Illinois is willing to take them to dinner and hang out with them wherever and whenever they want.