The Importance of Being Around Like-Minded People

Jim Rohn once said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Let me quantify this a bit: I’m pretty sure Rohn meant friends and colleagues. Thus, for the sake of argument, let’s exclude children, but include a spouse or partner.

So, who are your five, and what conclusion can you draw from it?

Looking at myself and those I know, I believe this to be true. If you watch any successful person, they most likely have successful friends. Birds of a feather flock together.

But I’m not about to ask you to change partners or friends …

Look, at this point in your life, a few (or maybe all) of your “five” are entrenched. But let’s talk about opening your mind and horizons, and start meeting more people who share professional interests with you.

I just returned from a Multifamily investor conference in Dallas. It was a great event; well-run with good speakers and lots of info. But even more impressive were the caliber of attendees. They were all real estate professionals, and had all sorts of different ideas and specialties. Plus, since most of us were from somewhere else, the “competition by proximity” was virtually non-existent. That made everyone a little looser.

I have to say, it was really incredible. There is something about being around a lot of like-minded people: the energy, the flow of ideas, and the motivation to do more … I met a few people that I will stay in touch with simply because we liked each other, and perhaps down the road, maybe we’ll eventually partner a deal together. At the minimum, we can bounce ideas off each other and get/give advice.

I would recommend attending a few of these events every year, both pay and free. Free events are great for meeting everyone (I run one myself), and pay events both narrow and elevate the professionalism in the room. For example, at my Dallas event, the people I met were not “deciding” if they wanted to get into real estate – they were already there and looking to reach the next level.

This is also why I started Asheville Multifamily Investor Club – to meet people that wanted to do bigger things in real estate and get the opportunity to meet experts in our field. Large Syndicators, VP’s in mortgage brokerages, commercial real estate agents, top CPA’s, and many more. My own club also drives home the point that as much as we may love real estate, at the end of the day, I think it is important to remember we are in the relationship business as much as we are the real estate business. People do business with people they know, like and trust.

So, whether a pay or free event, take a chance and go to that next Real Estate Meetup group or conference that interest you. Chances are you will meet some great people, and come away with some new insights and ideas.

In the end, surround yourself with the type of people you want to become.

To your success!