Several years ago, I noticed that in spite of training in my classes 3 times a week and listening to lectures on philosophy and discipline, several of my younger studentsfailed to improve their attitudes and behavior. As their instructor, I was at a loss as to what I should do differently to help them grow.
One evening after class, I noticed a small group of teenagers standing outside my studio making noise and harassing people passing by. I walked outside and asked if I could help them and one of them replied that they were waiting for one of my students. There was the answer…negative influences. In order for you to develop positive attitudes, meet positive people, you MUST get away from negative people. Negative people are the primary cause of most unhappiness in life.
Like a sponge, you unconsciously soak up the attitudes, behavior and even the opinions of the people with whom you’re most closely associated. It is my opinion that if you choose a negative “reference group”, that can be enough in itself to condemn you to a lifetime of failure and underachievement. There is only one influence more powerful than the suggested influence…the power of love. Get away from and STAY away from negative people! Get with the RIGHT people. If you hang around with losers, you WILL become a loser. If you want to be a winner, associate with winners. It’s just that simple.
Follow the advise of Baron de Rothschild and “make no useless acquaintances.” Be extremely careful when choosing your friends. Remember, it’s hard to fly with the eagles, when you’re scratching with the turkeys.
