Friendships: The Key to Success

When we think of self-improvement and personal growth, we normally think of doing things by ourselves, for ourselves. In our heads, we’re probably imagining a whole Eye of the Tiger/Rocky Balboa montage.

Pause that little montage for a second or two and think -  “Did Rocky really do all of that by himself?” The answer? No, he most certainly did not. 

Rocky had Mickey. All good athletes have coaches and teammates to train and guide them along, all successful students have teachers, and all CEOs had their own mentors, one way or another. Even the Pope had a mentor.

However, it is not only through mentorship that one succeeds. Similarly, a positive relationship and friendship has the same effect on us, helping us to reach our potential and succeed, become better people, and even grow with us. 

Relationships come in all forms - support, encouragement and involvement within family members’ lives, between romantic partners, and through friendships, have the power to drive us positively towards success and growth.

You know that saying, “birds of a feather flock together”? Typically, you adopt certain mindsets and behavioural patterns of those you constantly spend your time with. By surrounding yourself with the right people, you are able to encourage mutual growth. It’s not about becoming more like the person you hang out with, it’s more of complimenting each others’ strengths, and working through your weaknesses together. 

The right people would be able to share your excitements and goals with you, either through keeping you in check whenever you stray from it or through setting goals and working towards that goal together. 

Positive relationships provide you with constructive criticisms and feedbacks. Sometimes, you may get a little too blinded by your own judgements that you can’t see where you went wrong, and what you could’ve done better. That’s where your family, friends, or partners come in. When you seek feedback, you allow yourself to grow and become a better version of yourself. 

You don’t get to the top without a little help - remember to show gratitude to the ones who help you along the way. By showing gratitude, you’re also giving the other person a boost in self-confidence, further encouraging positivity and growth.