“Above all, keep a close watch on this—that you are never so tied to your former acquaintances and friends that you are pulled down to their level. If you don’t, you’ll be ruined. . . . You must choose whether to be loved by these friends and remain the same person, or to become a better person at the cost of those friends . . . if you try to have it both ways you will neither make progress nor keep what you once had.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.2.1; 4
It’s important to consider who you surround yourself with and spending time, who will help you to become the best version of yourself. Jim Rohn and James Altucher have both expressed the idea that the people you spend the most time with will influence your life. Goethe’s maxim captures this further, stating that the people you associate with will define who you become. It is important to be mindful of the people you let into your life and ask yourself whether they are making you better or pulling you down. Ultimately, the people you spend your time with will determine what you become.
