Who Are You With?

"It ain't about who you know. It's about who you with."

I was reading a book last night while listening to some music, when a particular song began playing which caught my immediate attention. Not only did this song have me put down my book and get 'crunk' for a good five minutes, it actually provides the answer to the questions of why you are where you currently are in life, and how you can speed up your success or failure in everything you do.

The song which provides the answer to these questions is called 'Who You Wit!' by Lil Jon and The Eastside Boyz. There is actually a very successful message behind all of that 'noise'. In the words of...well...myself, "It ain't about who you know. It's about who you with!" I added the exclamation point at the end of that quote because I'm listening to Lil Jon's song on repeat as I write this, and if you know Lil Jon's music then you know why!

Back to the message however, who you know is of little significance in comparison to who you with! If you want to get in great physical, spiritual, emotional, and financial shape in life, it is important that you keep proper and matching circles within your circle of association. The likely reason people lose and get out of shape in life is because they contain too many squares within their circles. Do your best to understand the last two sentences.

You may have huge goals and high aspirations for yourself, but the odds that you will succeed are stacked against you if your circle is filled with individuals who have no goals or aspirations, make excuses, bring you down in any way, and have no intention of becoming successful in any way. You may know many people, but you are really only 'with' a few. They could be family, best friends, mentors, business partners, and so forth. Believe it or not, these few individuals add up to be the average of your character.

It is important to align with proper circles because your association is your lifeline. I believe that warriors live and die by their swords while people live and die by their associations. One of the fastest and least talked about ways to reach success within your venture is to learn from the failures and successes of those who are already successful within your field of choice. I placed failures before successes because that's most likely the sequence of order when you do business, and the most valuable lessons for growth are learned within one's failures.

Surround yourself around someone long enough, and you will eventually adapt their principles and habits. No wonder the statement, 'the rich get richer and the poor get poorer' holds so much validity. I always say, "If you want something real bad, rock with those who got it or know how to get it while you're pursuing it, and you'll get it."

There is a secret to establishing an association of beneficial circles which is heavily underestimated, especially within our generation. If you don't have access to personal constant contact with your desired circles then the bookstores, libraries, and internet should by your second home. Books are the keys to building your association of successful circles. I believe that those who dislike reading severely underestimate the value of knowledge, and/or must also dislike engaging in conversation with other people.

I look at reading like this; you are actually being spoken to when you read! I could be doing anything in the world as you are reading this, but I am still having a conversation with your mind this very minute. I bet you never thought about it like that before huh? Yeah I know. Do you see how we are having a conversation right now? Cool huh? This is the power of reading.

Your successful association of great circles is just a few books away. What better way to pick the brains of someone and know what they know, than to read their books? It ain't about who you know. It's about who you're with! Choose to be with those who prove to be beneficial towards your progression. Choose to be with those who believe in, love, and support you. Choose to be with those who are in alignment with your life's mission and where you're trying to go.

Get your circle in shape with beneficial and similar circles. Stay in shape by exercising your mind daily through constant conversation with your association; through reading. A day without exercising the mind is a day of smoking a pack of cigarettes; you're just killing yourself slowly. The way out of ignorance is through knowledge. The way to knowledge is through people, books, and an oath to everlasting learning.

However, knowledge without application is a virus. I read a Chinese cookie which went something like, "To know something and not do anything with that knowledge is not to know anything at all." In the words of Lil Jon, 'Get Crunk!' by taking massive action with everything you learn to reach your success, happiness, and prosperity, and bless others. Don't lose out because of any squares in your circle. It's not about who you know. It's about who you with!

God Bless You