Guilt By Association

By Christian Life Coaching

When I was growing up, the message was pounded into me, be careful who you hang with, or in others words be selective about your friends. When we are young, we think our elders are old fashioned and out of touch. When we get older, we look back over our life and wish we had listened to their advice a little more.

We have always heard the expression, “guilt by association.” It is really true. How and who you spend your time with not only impacts the way you think but, impacts your choices and decisions in life. Often, it becomes the framework by which others form their opinion about you as well.

According to Jim Rohn, one of America’s top leading experts on personal development and success,- “you are the average of the top 5 people you spend the most time with.” That is an amazing concept to grasp and consider. If that is true, and it certainly seems logical, then I would say most people in life are aiming rather low.

If “guilt” or “success” comes from association, then maybe we need to re-evaluate who we are spending our time with. Who is in your inner circle? Who do you have in your life that is calling you forward, cheering you on or inspiring you to be your best you? Who can you learn from or just hope that they will somehow rub off on you?

From all my readings on the subject, it seems pretty clear to me that we are not born into success, nor does it just happen to us or fall in our laps. It is usually achieved by people who seek it out and are intentional and deliberate about their decisions, actions and associations.