Surround yourself with people that inspire you to be your best
When I think back to the times of my life when I was making the most progress, the first things that come to mind are the faces of the people around me. This is the case for all of my endeavors, but especially my fitness. Whenever I am doing my best, I can be sure there are good people around me inspiring me to do better.
The last year I was in California, I had 4 or 5 friends come to gym every week and we would train together. Training is probably a slight overstatement as most of what I remember is all the laughing, but we did work hard occasionally. Those friends helped me achieve my first backflip, handspring, and countless other skills.
Since moving to Thailand, I’ve found a similar group that is equally inspiring. They are constantly exposing me to new forms of movement and expanding my boundaries. They are also incredibly generous with their guidance and coaching.
Thinking back to all of the groups that have inspired me, there are a few key characteristics that the people really embody.
First, there’s always a give and take relationship. I do my best to surround myself with people that are better than me in one way or another. I also have some abilities my friends don’t have yet. This mismatch lets us both share and teach one another. This is doubly beneficial because I benefit from the knowledge they possess and I have to refine my own skills to show them the best possible version I can.
Second, the most inspiring people are willing to try new things. It’s really intimidating to be a beginner and risk looking like a fool. Being around other people that are supportive and willing to struggle in the same way makes it that much easier to take a risk and try something new. This is when the “here, hold my beer,” mentality actually produces good results. Taking the risks required to really accelerate progress is always easier when supportive friends that will keep you safe surround you.
Third, the best people are always willing to work hard. I know I talk a lot about working at a reasonable level which might sound counter to working hard, but when you’re training with a good group of people, the right level of intensity always seems to emerge. It’s always been my experience that people will work really hard when it’s their turn, but there’s lots of built in rest while other people try the activity. This always leads to a hard but reasonable intensity that has always done wonders for my progress.
One final characteristic that always seems to pop up is my friends are almost never like me. Some of my best training partners have included guys in their 60s, single moms, high level athletes, bros that where too much Axe Body Spray, and people that don’t even speak the same language. This diversity always brings out another layer of inspiration that adds to whatever I’m trying to improve. The varied backgrounds also give each person a different point of view and something to offer that no one else can provide.
For the past several months, I’ve been working really hard to notice what helps me perform at my best. I’ve written about habits, patience, and many other topics, but no list would be complete without including the people that supported me along the way.
I suspect that if you think back to the times in your life when you were doing really well, there were a handful of people that were encouraging you, inspiring you, and pushing you to be your best. Always do your best to replicate those groups in whatever activity is top priority for you now.
