The 3 Types of Friends Who Will Make You More Successful, According to a CEO

Women friends

AdobeStock

Profile Picture
Deborah Sweeney102
MyCorporation.com CEO
It's believed that the energy you put into the world is the energy you get back. Generally, most of us want our energy to be positive. Positivity often creates a domino effect of great things. You’re able to attract a group of like-minded, ambitious people that want to be in your corner and see you experience success.
Do you feel ready for your vibe to attract the kind of contacts that will take you far in your professional career? Start seeking out these types of people to surround you.

1. Action-oriented people

Calling all movers and shakers! If you love to roll up your sleeves and get the job done, Julia Beck, Founder of It’s Working Project, says to surround yourself with these kinds of proactive doers.
Gracie Miller, a Life Purpose and Career Coach, agrees with Beck: “Ideally, these friends and connections will encourage you to go after your dreams and feel like it’s completely normal to reach for the stars.”
Miller also says that many action-oriented people are hard to intimidate. When you do catch up with them, they won’t be threatened by your success or cut you down because of it. Instead, they’ll celebrate you.

2. People who share your vision

As the President of O.M.E. Gear, Julie Weldon is aware that growing a business in the outdoor industry means going against preconceived notions of what can and can’t be successful in this field. Weldon advises finding people who share your vision and surrounding yourself with them, especially if you are starting a business.
“It might be cliché, but when you have a lot of odds stacked against you, you want a tribe of people who value the same principles,” Weldon says. “These people should also share the same priorities and recognize the hard work required to achieve your collective goals.”

3. People that understand you, even if they don’t always agree with you

Think about the people you follow on social media sites like Twitter or Instagram. You probably follow people who agree with you on most topics. They might also be less likely to voice a contrary opinion to what you have to say to avoid confrontation and engage in a public Twitter fight.
In order to be more successful in the long run, surround yourself with people that do not always agree with you, but seek to understand you. Courtney Werner, Director of Marketing at Koya Innovations, says that an open-minded individual will support you during tough times because their love isn’t dependent on your beliefs. That love is rooted in who you are. If you are able to build a network of friendships with unwavering support as the foundation, you’ll be able to move towards your goals and win regardless of what happens in your career.

Who Should You Avoid?

Now that you know who should surround you in order to be successful, which individuals should not be part of your group?

1. Energy vampires

Energy vampires live up to their name in that they feed off of your emotional energy, and have no desire to build a healthy relationship with you. Life and Leadership Coach Madineyah Isaacs warns against having these types of people associated with you. 
“When you leave their energy you feel drained, not lifted up," she says. 

2. Braggers

Do you know someone who talks a lot about how amazing they are, but when asked what they’re doing or working on that’s making a difference there’s a sudden radio silence? Yep, these are braggers — and they should be kept at arm's length.
Isaacs says that people who love to brag but have little, if anything, to show for it often do so from a place of insecurity: “I am all for women owning their awesomeness, but move along if it’s just Brag-ville and no Show-ville.”

3. People content with the status quo

Quite a few of us probably know a handful of these people. Those content with the status quo will likely not deviate from where they are now. They’ll keep working in a job that doesn’t necessarily fulfill them and avoid trying new activities to avoid rocking their routine boat.
Miller advises keeping these kinds of people at a minimum, along with anyone who needs you to play small so they can feel big. “It’s challenging enough to pursue success without being held back by others’ negativity, outdated ideas of scarcity, or jealousy.”