Success depends on many different factors and circumstances, and, which is very fortunate, we have control over most of them. One such factor is the people you’re surrounding yourself with.
Whether you like it or not, the people around you can be a very strong influence on the way you perceive reality and live your life. So, surrounding yourself with the right kind of people and avoiding the worst is, in a way, one of the main ingredients in the recipe for success.
Here are the 5 types of toxic personalities that successful people keep their distance from.
1. THE CONFORMISTS
To conform means to accept and live within the limits that are set on you from the outside world. These people are very good at accepting the arbitrary rules that those around them create and impose, and they don’t do anything to break out of this box.
They live the life of a robot – wake up, work 40 hours a week at a job they hate, go home, sleep, repeat. And while they are content with this kind of lifestyle, it’s not something that leads to any kind of personal success.
2. THE COMPLAINERS
These people love setting themselves in a reality where there is always something to complain about – whether it’s how horrible their job is, how difficult their life is, you name it. They are the ones who whine about everything but never do anything about it.
And this toxic influence is absolutely contagious. The pessimism they radiate with is one that a person starts absorbing and accepting as a valid way of perceiving reality. Complainers often manage to mold other people into becoming complainers by constantly giving out that low and negative vibe that is devoid of any hope and optimism.
3. THE DOUBTERS
Another form of pessimism, and almost as harmful as that of the complainers, doubt can be a big obstacle, especially if your skills and ambitions are put to its test. And doubters will be the first ones to let you know how your plans are going to fail.
They are the ones who are strongly convinced that in order to achieve something extraordinary, you have to be an extraordinary person in the first place. In truth, this goes the other way around – achieving extraordinary things turns you into an extraordinary person. So, don’t let them crush your dreams with this toxic pessimism and get away from them.
4. THE ENTITLED
These are the people who believe that they are entitled to the things in life, regardless of how little they try to deserve them. They believe that it’s everybody’s fault that their lives have become a failure because of their expectations from the world to provide them with everything they wish for.
And when they see someone succeeding at something, they can’t help it but become envious and turn on their destructive mindset that will project a lot of negativity onto you. They will be the first ones to try and kill your motivation because they think that the world gave you more than it ever did for them.
5. THE PARTY ANIMALS
It’s great to have a party animal at a party, really. But not when it comes to getting serious about the real things that make life. Don’t get me wrong – they come with a very good lesson: you have to know how to relax and enjoy life to the fullest.
However, it can be very toxic if a person maintains their party and careless attitude when things need to get more serious. These people will be the first ones to distract you from your goals with some short-term joys that lead nowhere.
You are the people you are surrounded with. So, be careful who you choose to influence your mindset and your perception. Of course, judging people is never OK, simply because this is also a toxic mindset that will eventually make you more pessimistic about the world.
However, keeping your distance from the people that can’t help being the negative influence on your path to personal success is paramount if you want to achieve anything in life.
