If the people in your circle are winning, you are also winning.

“You are the sum of the five people who you surround yourself with.” Remember this saying?

Who do you keep in your circle? When you look around at the people who are close to you, what do you see? The go-getters, hustlers, and hard workers? How about the dreamers, the builders, and the doers? That’s my circle. I am surrounded by some of the coolest, hardest-working, ass-kicking people around. My family, my friends, and my colleagues – every single person is on a mission to create better. Whether that’s bettering themselves, bettering other people, or bettering their communities. How fun to be side-by-side with some of the best.

As I’ve gotten older, I think back on all the friendships and relationships I’ve had and lost. The people I’ve grown up with, experienced many firsts with, celebrated and cried with, and grown apart from. These people shaped me at different points in my life. I would not be where I am now without them – the good and the bad.

I’ve had to cut a lot of people out of my life, for various reasons. I know what I bring to the table and every day is an opportunity for me to demand excellence of myself. And because of that, I expect others to do the same. If you’re not waking up wanting to attack the day, then I will assume you’re floating through life just going through the motions. Who wants to half-ass their way through life? Not me.

Now before anyone comes for me, let me be clear about something: I’m not referring to the people who are going through a hard time in life or the people who have maybe hit a roadblock and failed. We all have those days – I have more of those days than good days lately. The difference is I choose to show up regardless of how I feel. What I am talking about are people who don’t wake up with purpose; the people who don’t have vision or goals; the people who are all talk and no action; the negative people; the people who gossip; the people who take, take, take and forget that they also need to give; the people who crave drama, attention, and are self-seeking; the people who have anything but a servant heart.

Those people are not my people.

That’s not me being a bitch. That’s me being selective and I’ll tell you why I’m selective:

Because if the people in your circle are winning, you are also winning.

You want to be a winner? Surround yourself with winners. I believe this to my core.

Life continues to test me in more ways than I can count. Another failed relationship, failed projects, goals I haven’t hit, unforeseen expense that keep popping up – you name it. Somedays I feel like I can’t get anything right. But then I looked into my circle. The people who know me best; the people who love me and the people I lean on. I look and see all their success; good health, growing families, new businesses, job promotions, job opportunities, vacations to beautiful places, hitting goals – intention, love, and happiness. I see contentment with the drive to keep pursuing more. I see hard work, dedication, perseverance, and discipline. I see winners.?

I believe in the power of prayer, but I also believe in working hard for what you want. Just because you hit a hard time in life, doesn’t mean it will last forever. Look to your circle. Do you see all the good? Use it. And remember, after every night of darkness, the sun will always come up the next morning. Look for the sun.

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