Last month I was invited to participate in a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas to celebrate the life of the late dancing legend Gregory Hines. The event was held to raise funds and awareness of the tragic disease that took this entertainer's life.
Although we were focusing on this serious matter, it was a true pleasure to meet all the celebrities and people whom I would not normally have the opportunity to meet while living here in San Diego. However, what really left an impression with me the most was a conversation I had with Gregory Hines's father, Maurice.
I went up to him and simply asked this question: "What was it about Gregory's upbringing that made him such a leader in his art?"
"Well, it's like this," began his proud dad in an authoritative manner. "All we did was watch what he loved to do and then encourage him to continue doing it. You should've seen his eyes light up when he was only a child dancing for the family. When we put a ball in his hand, he didn't share the same passion so we simply took it away."
"That's it?" I asked in a surprised tone.
"Yes, it's as simple as that," he replied. "You see so many people try to push their kids into doing something that they themselves want, rather than supporting their children in doing what they want."
Which brings me to this topic.
Where could you be right now-or even better, where could you be tomorrow - if you surrounded yourself with a network of positive support to assist you on your journey?
There's an old saying that goes, "We are the five people that we associate with the most, and our income is an average of those five people."
If you don't like the path you're on, I suggest that you take a look around you to see who you're associating with. After all, water truly does seek its own level.
"How do we change this?" you ask.
Here's what I did, and I invite you to do the same.
A few years back, I looked around and noticed that all I did was hang around with other salespeople such as myself. Realizing that I wanted more from my life than to simply sit around talking about the great deal or the money I'd made that day, I sought out a new group of people to associate myself with-people who could help me on my new journey to become an author and motivational speaker. I ran ads on the Internet and in the newspaper seeking new people to associate with and "soak up the success" with, so to speak.
When I couldn't find such a club, I decided to create one of my own. I called it the Influential Men's Group. We met once a month and discussed our ideas and plans to make them become realities. Most important, we supported and held one other accountable to see those dreams come true.
As I write this now, I think to myself how grateful I am for all the wonderful people who've come into my life this past year. Due to this great group of people, I've gone from a business owner/salesman, to a number one best-selling author. I've been published with my heroes and industry greats such as Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Tom Hopkins, Bob Proctor, Peter Lowe, Cynthia Kersey, Steven E., John Assaraf, Dr. Wayne Dyer, and the internationally acclaimed artist Wyland, just to name a few.
I share this with you not to impress you, but to impress upon you to be careful of what you ask for. You may just get it.
In closing, I ask you once more: Where could you be tomorrow, by surrounding yourself with supportive, like-minded people who truly want you to succeed?
We are the company we keep. Choose your company wisely.
Best wishes, and keep smilin'!
************************************
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated - send to: GregReid@AlwaysGood.com
About The Author
Greg Reid, GregReid@AlwaysGood.com
Gregory Scott Reid is a Well-Known Speaker and two-time #1 best-selling author of, "The Millionaire Mentor" and "Wake Up: Live the Life You Love" www.AlwaysGood.com
AP - Democrats are growing impatient with President-elect Barack Obama's refusal to inject himself in the major economic crises confronting the country. Obama has sidestepped some policy questions by saying there is only one president at a time. But the dodge is wearing thin. "He's going to have to be more assertive than he's been," House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told consumer advocates Thursday.
AP - Desperate U.S. automakers ran into fresh obstacles from skeptical lawmakers Thursday as they appealed with rising urgency and a new dose of humility for a $34 billion bailout. Without help, said one senator, "we're looking at a death sentence."
AP - A Pakistani militant group apparently used an Indian operative as far back as 2007 to scout targets for the elaborate plot against India's financial capital, authorities said Thursday, a blow to Indian officials who have blamed the deadly attacks entirely on Pakistani extremists.
AP - Blackwater Worldwide guards involved in the deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting of Iraqi civilians could face mandatory 30-year prison sentences under an aggressive anti-drug law being considered as the Justice Department readies indictments, people close to the case said.
AP - With just weeks before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in, his choice for secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is scrambling to reduce massive campaign debt before federal ethics rules prohibit her from doing so.
AP - Erik Estrada has returned to Muncie to take part in overnight police patrols in the city where he starred in the short-lived reality series "Armed & Famous." The former star of the 1970s motorcycle cop drama "CHiPs" is a reserve officer on the Muncie Police Department.
AP - Antonio Pierce and the doctor who treated his New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress after he accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub will talk to investigators Friday.
Reuters - The CEOs of General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC said they would consider restarting talks about a merger during a nearly six-hour congressional grilling on the industry's pleas for $34 billion in government aid.
Reuters - Top U.S. phone company AT&T Inc said it will eliminate 12,000 jobs, or about 4 percent of its workforce, in a fresh wave of cuts to cope with an economic downturn that has exacerbated a decline in traditional phone sales.
Reuters - Central banks in Europe slashed their benchmark interest rates by record amounts on Thursday to fight the global economic crisis, while U.S. automakers pleaded for a bailout to avoid collapse.
Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday Pakistan had given assurances of its commitment to root out terrorism and round up anyone connected to last week's attack in the Indian city of Mumbai.
Reuters - Iraq's Presidency Council has approved a security pact with the United States that paves the way for a complete U.S. troop pullout by the end of 2011, a spokesman for the council said on Thursday.
Reuters - The United States will quickly feel a change in attitude from Moscow if President-elect Barack Obama transforms Washington's policies toward Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
Reuters - Thailand's revered and influential king missed his traditional birthday eve address due to illness on Thursday, a speech many Thais had hoped would provide short-term relief to the country's intractable political crisis.
Reuters - Hate crimes against Arab Americans have decreased steadily since the September 11 attacks but are still more common than they were before the hijackings, a civil rights group said on Thursday.
AFP - Leading European central banks took historic action Thursday to ward off spreading recessions, slashing their key lending rates to boost businesses and consumers.
AFP - Car bombers killed at least 15 people in a former rebel bastion on Thursday as Iraq's security pact with Washington won final approval before its launch at the end of the month.
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