It was in one of Brian Johnson’s Philosopher’s Notes that I first came across the concept that the 5 people you surround yourself with have an absolutely huge impact on whether or not you will be successful in the things you are trying to do. Not because they’ll help you get a foot in the right door or introduce you to the people you need to meet, although they might, but because they will influence how you think.

And of course, your thoughts control your feelings which control your actions which determine your results…

Yes, you may think that listening to your friend complain endlessly for hours on end, frequently, about the man (or no man) in her life and the weather and the price of shoes will have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the success or failure of your business, but you’d be wrong! If all you hear around you is negative, critical and blaming, then it may not surprise you that your own thoughts will tend to dwell on those points of view too – and this definitely isn’t good for business.

On the other hand, if you choose to spend more time with people who see problems as challenges, who’s answer to most things is ‘yes’ and who are supportive rather than competitive where you’re concerned, you can easily appreciate that a few hours in their company every day will only serve to boost whatever you’re trying to achieve.

So, who figured most in your day today – who were your 5 Keys?

Check out Postcard from the Edge no.2 to explore this in more detail and put your own personal business support system in place.