Daily Practice ·
Make the list of the people who most influence your future
A practice to become aware of who you spend your time with and choose your teachers and conversations better.
By Pedro J. Pérez
Sometimes we don't realize that our environment gradually shapes us. The conversations we listen to, the complaints we repeat, and the people we share the most hours with end up marking where we are headed. Today you are going to do a simple exercise to look at that mirror honestly and decide what you want to change.
It's not about judging anyone or breaking relationships, but about taking the helm of your own direction. In a few minutes you can clearly see who you are letting influence your future and take a step to get closer to those who already live the way you want to live.
The practice Duration: 15 minutes
Make your list of five or six
Take a pen and paper, or open a note on your phone. Write down the names of the five or six people you spend the most time with in a normal week: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors. Don't think about who it should be, but about who it really is. Spend about three minutes on this list.
Look in the mirror without filters
Next to each name, write down a single word or phrase that describes how you feel after being with that person: energized, tired, inspired, drained, eager to act, or eager to complain? Be honest, no one else is going to read this. Take another three minutes to see the pattern that appears.
Decide on one small, real change
Choose one person from the list you want to spend a little more time with because they bring you closer to where you want to go, and another with whom you want to reduce your exposure to complaining or cynicism. There's no need for a dramatic conversation: it's enough to set an intention, for example, to write to the first one to grab a coffee this week and limit long chats with the second. Spend two minutes writing down how you'll do it.
Find a teacher who practices what they teach
Think of someone who already lives the way you would like to live in the area that interests you (work, health, relationships, money). It doesn't have to be someone famous; it can be someone close to you or someone you can follow online. Check that what that person teaches they apply in their own life and that their prosperity comes from that, not just from selling courses. If no one comes to mind right now, write down what type of mentor you would look for and where you could find them. Spend five minutes on this part.
Pay well for good advice
If you already have someone who gives you good advice, think about how you can compensate them fairly: with money if it's a professional service, with time, with a favor, or with sincere recognition. Good information saves years of mistakes, so don't skimp when it's valuable. Write down one concrete action to thank or give back to that person this same week. Two minutes.
To reflect on today
Who are you spending the most time with, and does that person bring you closer to or further from the life you want to build?
To finish
Your environment is not an unimportant detail: it is the ground where your habits and decisions grow. Today you have made visible what often goes unnoticed. With small changes in your conversations and in your teachers, you begin to move your future in the direction you choose.