“You are the average of the 5 people you surround yourself with. Choose wisely.” – Jim Rohn
So how do you select your core five? What do you want to consider when choosing the five people you’ll spend your time with, which according to Jim Rohn, determines who you are.
First thing to note, I don’t consider my immediate family part of my core five and that’s for many reasons. Most importantly because your core five consists of the people you are electing to spend your free time with. The people you choose first after your family time.
– Support: You’ll want your core five to support you in your endeavors whether it’s a new business concept, a change of direction, lifestyle changes, or tough decisions. They are someone you can rely on for genuine feedback and conversation about the situation you are facing. They are going to be honest with you and help guide you through scenarios that could arise with each decision. Support doesn’t mean agreeing with you. This brings us to…
– Honesty: A core five person will be completely honest with you. They’ll provide you with hard questions and facing tough realities. They aren’t going to agree with you just because they’re your friend. They should provide push back when necessary. This is a difficult trait to find in people because we are naturally people pleasers. We want people to like us so we often agree or support things we might not actually agree or support for them.
– Respect: This goes beyond just respecting you as a person. It means setting and adhering to boundaries. Understanding the person when a tough time arises to know just what they need, and don’t need. Respecting their choices and decisions that pertain to themselves, their families and their relationships. Respecting their time and energy has carefully been selected to spend with you. Appreciate that, take care of that. Recognize the importance behind that.
– Likeminded-ness: It’s definitely a bonus to have a core five that has similar goals and aspirations as you. Now this doesn’t mean to have the same goals as you, but the same determination to achieve their goals. The same mindset to continue reaching higher and growing. The same mindset you have towards goals and achievements. If you are a go-getter, you probably want your core five to encompass some similar mindsets so they can help push you forwards towards your goals.
These are just a few things that matter to me when choosing my core five. It’s difficult. It’s incredibly challenging to really sit back and think about who in your life you want to be your core five – who do you want to be the five that you take along for the ride we call life? At the end of the day, your core five just truly wants what is best for you and is not afraid to voice that and help you get there.
Q: What matters to you when choosing your core five team?
Q: Do you have a core five team?
Your Core 5. What a powerful group of people. What an impactful group of people. What a select group of people.
But what about the flip side? Let’s talk about it…
What does it mean to be included in someone’s core five? What does it mean to be considered 20% of another persons average?
It’s an honor that I don’t think people spend nearly enough time talking about. In fact, I think it goes unnoticed and under appreciated at times. You and four other people are the most influential people on another single persons life. What an honor. How incredible. How do we make sure we are living up to the standards and expectations of being one of someone’s core five?
Growth – Having a growth mindset and IMPLEMENTING it. Everyday in every aspect. For yourself, for your friends and family, for your occupation. Evolving as a person has such an impact on how you help those around you grow and achieve their goals. You are inadvertently inspiring them to continue reaching higher and striving for greatness. If you don’t settle for mediocre, neither will they.
Presence – Show up. Be there. Be present. Recognize the importance you simply being there and fully present has on this person. You’re attentive and engaged. You’re honest and forward with your feedback. You listen when needed and respond when appropriate. You are not just physically there. You are mentally present and focused.
Confident – You are self-aware of the impact and role you play in this person’s life. You are confident in your judgement, you take it seriously. You respect the power that this role has for them. You utilize your own experiences, trials and tribulations to help guide them. You aren’t afraid to be the honest friend. You respect the boundaries, but you are also a constant advocate for them each step of the way, holding them accountable.
These are just a few of the ways in which we can show up as someone’s core five as an individual. As time passes and life experiences happen, it’s critical we are checking in with ourselves and our loved ones and reflecting to make sure with each stage, our core five team is the right five people.
When you are searching to find out who your core five is, take into account some of these traits and factors that go into being someone’s core five. Realize that it’s a role that has a big impact on your life, your successes, your future and who you grow to be.
It’s a true honor to be in someone’s core five group! I’m incredibly thankful for my core five who inspire me each day and push me towards being a better person in every aspect of my life.
What are some traits you look for in your core five team? Have you given the “core five” quote any thought this week?
