Ever heard of the term osmosis? Basically molecules moving from a state of higher concentration solution to a state of lower concentration solution until it reaches a state of equilibrium.
What does this have to do with business you may ask? It’s basically saying that naturally association leads to change which leads to an outcome. Association and interaction with anything will have an effect on you.
They say babies are like sponges, they are blank slates ready to be filled with information and though you may be older and filled with more information you too can use the information around you to learn. The people and things around us shape who we are and if you want to be more like something, you need to associate with it.
Think about what you want and surround yourself in it. If you want to be a millionaire hang out with the millionaires, if you want love find the places that are filled with love, if you want work go out and find someone who is abundant with work. If you are lacking in a particular area surround yourself with the person or thing that is stronger in that area and naturally by observing, and learning some of that will go back to you. Teachers are just on example of change by association, moving from a poor country to a rich country may be another way to change by association. Your environment does affect who you are and you have the power to control it if you let it in.
Association is also not limited to you taking in the surroundings around you, but it also works in the way that you are also a person of influence. You may find that the people and things around you are a representation of how you put yourself into the world. If your employees show up to work late, your kids are swearing, or your friends or family seem a little unreliable could you possibly see the same in yourself? An age old proverb is ‘lead by example’ and you need to do just that. If you want the people who are influenced by you to act in your favour you need to show them the way.
The power of association works both ways, so act the way you want your life to be, and surround yourself with things that you aspire to be.