Human beings are influential creatures! Influencing and getting influenced is a part and parcel of human life. We can get influenced in many ways: by our external environment, by the works of art we are exposed to and by our own observations.
Our environment is a powerful influential source. Just how an organization operates and is influenced by an internal and external environment; the same goes with us, human beings. But for some reason, the power that our external environment has upon us is immeasurable. So what constitutes a person’s external environment? Simply put, everything than oneself is a part of the external environment within which we are living. Thus, by this definition, our external environment includes: Friends, family and acquaintances, Circumstances, Living conditions, Lifestyle At first glance, these words may look like synonyms to you but they aren’t. Each of these aspects separately proves to be a component of our external environment. In fact, these aren’t the only components. These are just few of the most common and relatable ones. Undoubtedly, people around us have the highest impact on our way of thinking, perceptions, beliefs and Life in totality!
An important question to ask yourself is whether you want to let your external environment shape you accordingly? Sometimes, our external environment can have a positive impact on our lives. While at other times, the impact can be negative. A rational individual has the ability to consciously evaluate the impact of the different external environmental factors on one’s life and make a decision accordingly. Attaining this rationality is what most individuals struggle with. It’s extremely important for us to learn how to introspect our lives objectively in order to make the correct decisions. At the same time; making the right choice is not always easy! Here again, one needs to apply all their rationality and make the right decision using logic instead of emotion. People, your friends, family and acquaintances form a major part of your external environment. In fact, their influence upon you is perhaps the strongest out of all the other external factors. The reason being, human beings being social creatures spend most of their time socialising. For most part of the day, we are in the company of others. Seldom are we left alone. All the time that we spend with others take a toll on our individuality.
Therefore, mixing with the right company is extremely important to achieve the right kind of personal development. Choosing between people is the hard part. Emotions arise and cloud logical decision making. That’s a challenge that has to be overcome. How? When you feel that a person is having a negative impact on your life; cut them off, ignore them, if possible of course! But the awareness here is crucial and challenging. Negative impact is not just created by people who hurt you or people who hate you but also by people who love you and have a limited thinking about themselves, you and life. People who stop you from taking risk, exploring and challenging the status quo ‘out of love’ for you is also a negative impact!!! If they are important to you, try to understand them first, explain your perspective to them and influence them, positively. Sure, the external environment is predominantly an uncontrollable entity. But we do have a degree of control over it? The lifestyle we live, is the one we choose. The friends we make, are the ones we choose. Connect with positive people. Remember, a smile is contagious and so is positivity. A positive person will always have a bigger impact on your life than a negative person ever can. Therefore, instead of mulling over one’s powerlessness, take whatever you get in your stride. Practice rational, logical decision making along with emotional impact, the balance is the key. Don’t expect to master this art in a couple of months. It takes years of practice and a lot of experience to exercise sound judgement when it comes to making the right choice. But once you get the hang of it, you will agree that it’s been worth the wait. Experience can never be bought. It’s an invaluable gift and a key tool for right decision making.
Being in the ‘Right Environment’ is like taking the ‘right fast train’! Even if you don’t do much the train/environment will accelerate your progress!!!