Who You Already Know is a Huge Factor in Who You’ll Meet

By Rachel Puryear

When it comes to getting jobs and advancing in a career, there’s the old adage that it’s not as much what you know, but rather who you know that’s the biggest factor in your success.

Actually, that same principle also applies to social relationships (friendships, romantic, and acquaintances), too – who you already know and associate with now is probably the biggest factor in who else you know, who you’re likely to meet, and who you’re likely to stay connected to for the long term, as well.

That’s also why – just like people getting started in careers who don’t know many people in the field yet have it the hardest, people who don’t have friends already can have an especially hard time with making them.

When we think of our friends, significant others, and other people we know and are associated with, we tend to think of that relationship as just between us and that individual. However, people are actually more like package deals. Our relationship with each other person is influenced in turn by the relationships they have with other people.

You may have noticed that when one person either leaves or enters your life; it not only changes you, but it has ripple effects on your social and personal life as a whole. There are other subtle changes to your life, too, that you may or may not attribute to the shift.

Life Events

New parents often notice that their social circle can change dramatically with the arrival of their child. People forming new romantic relationships or getting married – as well as those breaking up and getting divorced – also commonly notice reshuffling and realignments in the other relationships in their lives.

What’s perhaps less talked about, but also just as real, are the social shifts that happen after a person dies. Relationships throughout the deceased person’s family and friendships and other social circles can go through lots of upheaval following the death.

Your Influences Matter

There’s a saying – and I agree that there’s truth to it – that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time around. The people around you influence you tremendously, and make a huge difference in who you are and what you are like.

This is why, for better or for worse, people have shifts in their behavior and attitudes when who they’re spending more and less time around changes. When your greatest social influences change, it brings out noticeable changes in you, too.

This underscores the importance of choosing a social circle carefully – given that this will be a major factor in other people you meet and eventually become associated with. Being involved with toxic people leads to being surrounded by more toxic people, and being influenced by them – while connecting with people who are loving and supportive and kind will tend to lead to growing such a great circle with even more people like that, as well as the positive influences that come with that.

Others’ Influences Matter, Too

For all these same reasons, when you meet someone new who you’re interested in, also take a look at who surrounds them. This will give you a great deal of insight into them – their values, their influences, and what kind of energy they could bring into your life.

Of course, for parents, this is also why knowing your children’s friends is very important – their friends will be among their strongest influences, for better or for worse.

People can bring out the best, or the worst in you – this depends on who you choose to associate with, or not.

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Need more indoor activities to do with your friends this Winter? Or as a family? Browse Gutter Games’ collection of fun indoor games that will help you bond with loved ones, share some laughs, and break the ice with new people. There are games designed for families as well as for adults, and for small or large gatherings.

Group of cheerful friends having fun playing board game together at home.

Thank you, dear readers, for reading, following, and sharing. Here’s to developing social networks that help us meet our kind of people. If you enjoyed this post and want to see more like it, please hit “like” and subscribe, if you have not already.

Check out my other blog, too – Free Range Life, at https://freerangelife.net. It’s about road trips to the outdoors, traveling while fat, wealth and economic philosophy, remote/passive income streams, and van/RV life.

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