Are you fully "charged"?

Think about the greatest athletes you’ve ever seen. Although there is no denying people are born with varying degrees of “natural talent”, it’s likely that most, if not all, had coaches and trainers they have worked with to get them to where they are. It is very rare that success happens in a vacuum, more common is that the successful person has been inspired, coached and challenged by any number of supporters. These supporters may come in a number of forms: mentors, coaches, teachers, friends or family.

There is a common cliché which states, “You are what you eat”.

It could also be said “you are who you surround yourself with.” As parents, we remind our children of this in their formative years as they begin to be old enough to select who they spend time with outside of school and family.

As we become adults, we often become less selective who we spend time with, associating with neighbors, co-workers, and family members. This occurs naturally over time, and often out of convenience or in the case of family, a sense of responsibility.

There are two types of people you will encounter, let’s call them batteries and magnets. The batteries will, as the name would imply, energize and help propel you closer to reaching your goals while, of course, the magnets will find ways to sap your energy, hold you back, and stop you from moving forward.

These activities are often not done intentionally, however the impact is the same, regardless. We’ve all had people who, just through a brief conversation, leave us feeling energized and inspired, and conversely, have dealt with, often well-meaning, people that seem to sap every bit of energy from you and often the room in total. You may sometimes find yourself feeling sorry for this person, wanting to help them, wondering why they would choose to live such a negative, depressing life.

Common sense would tell us that we need to spend MORE time with the batteries and LESS time with the magnets, however, the opposite is often what occurs in the real world. You see, your time with the batteries will likely be brief. After all, they are too busy accomplishing things to sit around talking, unless it’s a plan to work with you on accomplishing something great. Meanwhile, the magnets are ALWAYS looking for someone to help share their misery, and will take and take from you, without really accomplishing anything.

DO NOT let yourself get sucked into this trap! It’s a fact of life that we will have interactions with magnets we can’t avoid due to family obligations, work relationships, etc… but it’s important we recognize these interactions for what they are, prepare for them, stay focused and keep them brief.

Just as no one can do your pushups for you, you can’t help someone who isn’t ready and committed to being helped. Be considerate and polite, but don’t waste your time. This sounds cold, but it’s a necessity for you if you wish to retain the energy and focus you will need to achieve your goals.

Obviously, if someone that is ready and committed to improve their circumstances approaches you for help, it’s a completely different situation, and one that can not only have you serve as a battery to them, but help move you forward as well with the fulfillment you receive from helping others.

Even the most driven and inspired people have a limited energy supply, it is vital that we make a conscious decision as to how will be used, not only for our own well being, but to have the energy in reserve to serve and support others.