Are You Guarding Your Circle of Influence?

Let me ask you a question. What happens when your best friend or your favorite person accidentally drops a drop of deadly poison in your mouth? Did you just say, you will die? Wow. OK. How about if the love of your life or your most respected family member does the same thing? You will still die? Even if they love you deeply? Hmm. I see. So it doesn't matter what the intentions are, if someone feeds you poison, there will be death. So why do you allow just anyone to enter into your circle of influence and poison your most precious dreams and vision?

I believe the most critical skill a vision carrier must master is the ability to navigate the quagmire of hypocrisy, discouragement and self seeking selfishness disguised under the canopy of "friendship" and "concern".  He or she also needs the alertness to steer clear of the land mines of dream killing and mediocre detractors whose complete mentality is to bring others down to their limit; the barest floor. A vision carrier must be as gentle as a dove, but as cunning as a serpent in order to carry their dream to full term.

I will say this again and again. You have to be extremely careful about the people you allow into your innermost circle. The ones you allow to have an influence on you, your goals and your plans. The ones you tell your dreams to. Some are only there and appear to support you as long as you don't DO ANYTHING BIG or AMBITIOUS. Try anything that intimidates their mediocre mentality and they will discourage you! They will come in the skin of looking out for your safety whilst all the want is to make sure you don't move too quickly or too far away from them. Since they don't want to feel like failures, they will keep you down with them under the pretense of worrying about you. Remember the story of the African crabs in a bucket?

Also stay away from fair weather friends. Guard your sanity and your destiny.

Instead, look for dream builders and vision helpers. Look for path lighters and catalysts of success. They are the ones who will become your support systems, your enablers and constituents. Guard your inner space very diligently.

-Dr. Samuel Tinagyei