Fish Teaches You Important Lesson

I spent a couple of hours outside every day this weekend walking the dog and listening to motivation-type CD's.

(Yes, CD's, because I don't know how to use itunes and ipods and all that stuff. In fact,  I bought a portable CD player last week just to listen to all the CD's I have stockpiled in my house.)

Anyways, I was listening to a CD from speaker, Nido Qubein, who told the story of the Koi fish and a self-development lesson it teaches.

As you might know, a Koi fish grows in proportion to its environment. If you keep it in a pail of water, it grows only 2 inches. But if you let loose in the wild it can grow up to 2 feet.

Are you like the Koi fish who has been kept in a pail?

Is your environment stifling your growth?

On the same CD, Qubein suggested you do this exercise:

"Make a list of the 10 people you spend the most time with and your top 5 goals and top 5 values."

"Compare the lists. Are the people you spend the most time with congruent with your values and goals? If not, you might be held back by this association."

You need to spend more time with positive people and in a positive environment.

And he's not the only one who believes this. Last week, I received an email newsletter from Google expert Perry Marshall that I've changed slightly for all of us who are seeking better health and fitness.

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"How fit and healthy you are during the next 2-5 years will probably be the average of all the people you are associating with RIGHT NOW.

Who are you associating with?

How fit and healthy are they?

Is it time to raise the power of your peer group?"

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Those are powerful questions you must ask yourself today.

Take stock of the people you hang around with at work and in your spare time.

Are they helping or hindering you from reaching your goals?

Should you be attending seminars and spending more time with others who share the same ambition as you?

I know I do, and it has made all the difference.

If you want to soar with eagles you can't hang around turkeys,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training