The old statement is still true today: Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. Who we hang out with is who we will ultimately become like. This can be great news, or this can be tragic news depending on the company we associate with. Author Alfred A. Montapert said, “All lasting business is built on friendship.”

The people we surround ourselves with is a big deal for it will shape our success. The good news is that we get to choose who we surround ourselves with. We aren’t forced to have friends. In fact, people aren’t truly a friend if they are forced to be with you. But let’s make sure we don’t confuse who a friend is. We need to be careful not to isolate ourselves from people, but we do need to insulate ourselves from the wrong people. Associate with everyone, but only make an alliance with a few.

There are three kinds of people in your life: Foes, Fans, or Friends. Foes think you’re worse than you are, fans think you are better than you are, friends are truthful about who you are.

Foes

These are the people that are against us. For whatever reason, they have it out to take us down and do damage in our life. Don’t let these people distract you. In fact, the higher you go, the more you’ll have foes. Aristotle said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” Expect there to be foes along your journey of success. We must make sure we insulate ourselves from these type of people. Outlast your critics by being committed longer than they are.

Fans

These are the people who like us, but don’t go beyond the surface. If not careful, they can make us complacent and unaware of our blind spots. Fans have great intentions, but they are not always truthful with us. They are a great bonus in our lives, but will not help us get better. Fans are great to have around, but they are a dime a dozen. They usually just tell us what we want to hear and don’t challenge us to reach our potential.

Friends

Friends are the people who will speak into our lives through the good and bad. They want to help us get better and refine who we are. Friends are honest with us about our weaknesses. They stick with us no matter what the challenge. Friends are a gift to help build community and to sharpen each other. The quality of your friends will determine the height of your success. You can’t go very far in life if you aren’t surrounded by people who have your back. Make sure you have some great friends that you allow to speak into your life and do the same for them.