no matter what stage your business is in, growth is one of, if not the most important goal - whether this be growth in the business itself or growth in your knowledge and personal development - it is inevitable to be successful.
So how do we grow personally and in business?
One thing I have learned over the past four years is the influence people inside and outside my circle have on my personal and business growth. putting it simply, when I surround myself with positive people, people who want me to succeed and people I can learn from, I thrive and my business thrives. similarly, when I have been around people, who don't understand me or my goals, who don't offer anything of benefit, it can bring me down.
This concept is called the law of attraction, and it goes back to the 6th century BC, when Confucius wrote one of the first quotes about surrounding yourself with the right people: “If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.”
who are the "right people"
The right people will differ depending on who you are as a person and what your personal and business goals are, however here are the traits I like to look out for in people both in my personal and business life:
Positive - a pretty obvious one, but an important one. I try to stay away from your "glass half empty" kind of people. Instead, surround myself with positive attitudes, people who leave me feeling motivated and inspired.
smart - and not just book smart people, but winners, and high achievers. I surround myself with people who are smarter than me, using their knowledge and experience to help me learn and grow.
Inquisitive - I've found being around people who ask lots of questions and want to learn is very beneficial, especially if feeling low on confidence - I watch and learn how they ask questions to get the answers they need and listen as they may be asking the questions I'm too introverted to ask!
Like-minded / on a similar path - When I am around people whose values match mine, I will feel uplifted, more confident, and surer of myself, my path and my purpose. This works especially well if they are a few steps ahead of me on my journey and can share their experience.
Action Takers - it is easy to say you are going to conquer the world, but doing it is another story! So I make sure I am surrounded by people who achieve what they say they will, this helps motivate me to know it is possible.
smart workers - these people don't just work hard, they work smart. they manage their time effectively, achieve their goals, and none of this is done by running themself into the ground - this is a role model I like to follow.
personal benefits
when I started to surround myself with the right people, in my personal and business life, I noticed amazing personal benefits:
Feeling more motivated - after speaking to people who "gee'd" me up and inspired me, I felt so motivated and was able to get plans in place and into action within days of meeting these people
Improved self-esteem - "Fake it until you make it!" was always my motto when walking into a room full of business owners who were much more accomplished and successful in business than me. However, speaking to these people and realising they are just people(!) built my confidence in me and what I am capable of.
improved confidence - speaking to people who are smarter than me and hearing their positive feedback on what I am doing in business always boosts my confidence. Even when I am given critical feedback, I know I can take this on board and improve even more, furthering my growth in confidence in myself.
Personal growth - being surrounded by the right people I have, and continue, to grow as a person and as a business owner. I'm learning every day and have more knowledge to make the right decisions to reach my goals.
business benefits
with my increase in confidence, motivation, and overall personal growth, I then started to see the knock-on effects on my business:
business clarity - after being surrounded by the right people, I have a clearer vision of what I want my business to be, who my target audience is, and the benefits I want to bring them. I am no longer distracted by the noise and varying opinions, I have the focus and support from one positive source.
business growth - with my newfound motivation and confidence, I can manage my time effectively, reduce procrastination, and move my business forward. When I set plans in place I follow them through to resolution and growth.
increased opportunities - I have increased my opportunities in two ways, firstly with my increased motivation and confidence, I put myself out there to find new opportunities that I previously would have considered out of my league or too big for me. and Secondly, connecting with the right people in itself has created opportunities for new business through them personally or through being recommended by them to other businesses.
so where do you find the right people?
The right people can come into our lives at any point and from anywhere, however, there are a few places I know to go when I need to find inspiration and new people to help me grow:
in-person - online and social media is great, it can help you connect with people all over the world who you would probably never even know existed! However, I have grown some amazing relationships with people I met through social media but then pushed out of my comfort zone and asked to meet in person, just a simple coffee and a chat, but the connection and benefit of in-person meets will always outweigh online
events - networking events are an amazing place to meet new people. They are easy to attend and you know everyone there is in the same boat
outside your circle - meeting different people in different sectors and stages of life is always beneficial. One of my closest contacts owns their own personal training business - couldn't be further from labels but we learn so much from one another and it's great to get an outside perspective.
afar - there are some amazing people out there who, let's face it you will probably never meet - I don't imagine lord sugar or Deborah Meaden will be meeting me for a coffee any time soon! But this doesn't mean I don't follow them on socials, and read their books and publications to gain their knowledge
bespoke labels - okay not just us, but all your suppliers and people directly connected to your business can have a big influence on you, so you need to make sure you find the good ones who understand your business and your goals.
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Summary
As you and your business grow, the people around you need to change and adapt to your goals. keeping yourself surrounded by the right people is the foundation of a successful business.