The Friendship of "Iron Sharpens Iron"
Over the years, I have understood that so many things that happen to an individual are determined, to a reasonable extent, by their friends. This is why I believe that an individual has the propensity of being modelled after their most dominant friends, and they may even take after their personality and become their reflection. The people you surround yourself with dominantly, can shape you either in a good way or in a bad way. This is why you need to be with the right people, so that they can refine you, bring out the better version of you, strength your character, enhance your skills, and motivate you to push towards your potentials.
A life that will be worthwhile should not be lived in isolation. The people around you can challenge your thoughts, correct you when you go wrong, and even encourage and inspire you to dream bigger. This is the reason you have to make friends with, and be in company of, the people who have like minds, who are positively inclined, and who will be there for you. Your friends serve as mirrors to you, to reflect your ambitions, your value, and also your limitation. If you company with a mediocre, you may also settle for mediocrity. In the same way, if you stay with great people, you will also strive for greatness.
There was a time I wanted to learn a particular skill, but was drawing my feet back. For more than 1 month, I was procrastinating it and even when the money came for the skill, still I was dragging feet. This happened until I met with a friend of mine who encouraged me. He also wanted to go for the same skill, and he motivated me to do the same. Each time he was going, he would branch to the house and we would go together. That was how I got the skill and I am glad I did. If I had not meet with him, I may not have gotten the skill. This is how good friendship can make positive impact on someone's life. They are like iron, which can also sharpen another iron.
On the other other hand, you will agree with me that a blunt iron will not be able to sharpen another iron, rather it might even make it blunt. This means that if you stay with people who are lazy, negatively minded, toxic, or not purposeful, you might lose your sharp edges and be blunt. They might even discourage you from going after your dreams. If you see yourself turning away from a particular dream after you have met with someone, then you should stay clear of the person. Your friends have the power and ability to change you in ways you might not even expect. In fact, it is easier for your friends to change you and make you take own their personality than for you to change them.
If you are going to a particular destination, but the person you are companying with is enroute to a different destination or even an opposite direction, you may not get to your destination. Even if you eventually do, you would have been excessively delayed and distracted. However, if you are going with someone of like destination, it will be easier to achieve the goal and get to the destination. Even if you become demotivated along the journey, they will provide you with the motivation that you need. There are people who have achieved certain things in life, not because their individual efforts could sustain them, but because they had helps from good friends.
It is worthy to note that choosing friends who push you to achieve excellence does not mean looking for perfection or for perfect people. In fact, you may not even meet a perfect human. What you should be interested in is to seek for those who are committed to living a life of purpose, a life of growth, and of integrity. Good friends will help you grow, correct you when you are wrong, tell you the sincere truth even if it is uncomfortable, then celebrate your wins. These things are part of the processes of "iron sharpens iron." It does not matter what you have or not, your friend should not be in competition with you, rather they should help you to become a better version of you. It is all about completion and not competition.
Thanks for reading
