If you want to be successful in your life, at work, socializing, you need to be aware that there are two groups of people to hang out with. First, there are those who lift you up, are positive about life, have energy and enthusiasm, walk their walk, talk their talk and generally make you feel great to be alive. And then there are the moaners, who bring you down to their level of inactivity. The second group are not the group to hang out with if you want to make things happen and be happy.

So hang out with the positive, smart people. I mean people who feel life is an exciting challenge worth wrestling to the ground and having fun with. The sort of people who have interesting points of view, who make you feel good talking to them, who have positive things to say or suggest rather than moaning. The sort of people who tell you that you look fantastic rather than criticize you.

Earlier on we talked about clearing clutter out of your life – physical stuff (see Rule 46). Now maybe it is time to clear some people clutter (hmm that sounds terribly LA).^* Let’s have a look at the people you do hang out with.

Which ones can you honestly say make you:

• feel enthusiastic about seeing them?
• make you rise to every challenge?
• make you laugh and smile and feel great about yourself?
• support you and nurture you and encourage you?
• stimulate you with new ideas, new concepts and new directions?

And which ones make you:

• feel depressed after you’ve seen them?
• make you feel angry, dejected or criticized?
• squash your ideas and pour cold water on your plans?
• don’t take you seriously?
• don’t make you feel as if you can achieve anything?

Hang out with the first group. Cull the second group – unless they are just having a bad day (and we all have those). Move on, get it done. Ah, but you’ll say it is cruel to prune friends ruthlessly like that. Well, I suppose it is, but then I want to enjoy my friends not moan about them. If I find myself doing that, I prune them. No point hanging out with people who don’t make you feel good – not unless you like being down.