It is important to note that most if not all, successful people have their own circle of influence. What is a circle of influence you ask? In the most simplest terms, it is a circle of people that motivate or influence one another to address a concern. It is the idea that there is something wrong that we feel we could change and in order to do so, we gather a group of people who want to address this concern and influence one another to make the change. Having a circle of influence is vital as it helps you to grow faster as an individual. You help one another to grow.
This is exactly what I’ve been trying to create. My circle of influence right now comprises merely of four people, myself included. I have one person I hang out with all of the time within my circle, the other one doesn’t live in Montreal anymore. So that brings us down to three people. I know many acquaintances though I need to sift through my entire list to figure out who has the same interests as I do which would take forever. I know I would be able to find a bunch of people on the internet through forums and websites but I would rather sit down and hang out with people in person.
So how would I go about doing this? And where could I find these type of like-minded individuals? Possibilities of finding these type of people would be attending business seminars that discuss the type of topics I would be interested in such as entrepreneurship, developing certain skills to apply it to business, etc. Another possibility would be to try to attend CASHFLOW 101 game events or cocktail meetings. Another possibility could be to talk to my network and discover who they know who are interested in these type of things.
My first attempt to expand my circle of influence was through Facebook. I created recently a group called “Cash Flow MTL” with currently 5 members in it. Not many people have really joined my group. I guess I just need to market and promote it more. It also doesn’t help that I am a little socially awkward now compared to before. I don’t like posting Facebook statuses because I am afraid of what people would think about me. But this would probably be the best way to raise awareness and I need to overcome that fear. I am quite shy.. That is definitely one trait I would have to work hard on overcoming. I am actually even considering signing up for a Toastmasters class which is essentially a public-speaking class with one of my friends.
It is so important to surround yourself with the right people. I started reaching out to old friends and acquaintances I never would have found myself talking to again. But it just feels really good reconnecting with old pals and seeking out those with the same views. Together as a group, we can be able to inspire one another to really make a change. I realize now how amazing it makes me feel when I am able to inspire someone. It made me realize that this is what I want to do. I want to change lives. I want to reach out to those that are lost and help guide them in the right direction. I don’t like to admit it but I used to judge certain people for the things they did and the views they held. But now, if I see someone struggling to find their way in life, I just want to help them in the same way my friends helped me. I am also a lot more open-minded compared to before.
Hanging out with one of my amazing friends today, it made me realize so many things I would not have realized on my own. And that is why it is so important to expand your circle of influence. Having deep discussions about topics, learning, inspiring ideas, motivating and helping one another has so much more of a tremendous impact than if you were to do it all alone.
Go out there, challenge yourself and get involved with more people just like you.
Good luck!
X.O.X.O.
-Fifster
