People develop continuously in the course of their lives. They continue their education, learn new things and achieve personal and professional growth. At best, their relationships grow with them. "Because if only one of two partners grows and the other stays put, it gets difficult." So claims sales trainer, author and keynote speaker Dirk Kreuter. The expert knows: "Even if both are growing, but not in the same direction but in different directions, at some point it makes sense to end the relationship." Why your daily environment is probably the most important success factor of your professional and personal growth? In this magazine article you'll find out!
Dirk Kreuter regularly gives presentations. They are almost always about sales, turnovers or closings. The expert knows that one aspect is often neglected: "For over 25 years, I have experienced participants who come to lectures and seminars, are totally motivated and want to apply the new impulses. They return to their everyday lives, have a positive attitude and want to make a difference. And at that very moment, their environment comes into play."
Imagine coming home after an educational, entertaining and insightful lecture. You are enthusiastic about the exciting input. Your head is buzzing with new ideas and approaches that you really want to pursue. But your partner can't do anything with them. He or she can't handle it and puts the brakes on you. In short: Your environment does not react to your new impulses the way you want it to.
Dirk Kreuter knows the main reason for failure: "Most people do not fail because of a lack of Motivationa weak will or a lack of ability. They fail because of their environment. If you want to jump, but your partner roots, then nothing will happen. Then you'll never really succeed."
Even though the people around us often don't even notice, let alone mean us any harm, they sometimes deliberately hold us down. And that, although they could be our most important success factor and our greatest springboard. Dirk Kreuter: "Our environment loves us the way we are now. And if we want to change something, it is uncomfortable for our environment. Because the environment would then have to change as well - and most of our fellow human beings don't want that." In such a case only one thing helps: Change your environment!
We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. So ask yourself the question, who are these five people you spend the most time with? Dirk Kreuter: "And then look at what age and what physical condition these people are in. Are they overweight or fit? Are they happy with their job or do they only do it because the fridge needs to be filled? How do they deal with their partner? And how successful are they in their life and in their job? How much money and what assets do they have?"
The exciting part: You may be the average of these five people, but your fate is not set in stone. After all, you don't have to accept the situation. Dirk Kreuter: "If you want more than what you have now, if you want to grow and get more out of life, you don't have to spend the rest of your life with these five people. Find new people to grow with."
So ask yourself the questions again, this time a little more precisely: Do you have a partner and a close circle of friends who will grow with you? Or do your partner and friends want the complete opposite of what you want? Do you want to grow, change your life, and improve your situation? Are you ready to leave your familiar environment if necessary?
Dirk Kreuter tells a little anecdote: "I have a list of things I would like to have or achieve in my life. For example, there's a Ferrari on it. A few weeks ago, the leasing contract for my old car expired and I asked myself which car I was going to buy. I found the exact Ferrari model that was on my list. And I expected my wife to ask me why on earth I needed such a car. At dinner, I told her about it. And she just asked why I wanted a yellow Ferrari and not a red one." A great example of a supportive environment. How would your environment have reacted?
Dirk Kreuter: "Make sure that the five people you spend the most time with support you unconditionally. Do they encourage and challenge you? Or do they make you put on the brakes instead of going full throttle?" In American there is a saying that goes like this: If you are the smartest, the cleverest, the most intelligent or the most successful person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. Dirk Kreuter: "There's some truth to that. Why? Because others will look to you for guidance, but you can't evolve. So always question whether you're in the right space and still have potential to develop there." What is your current situation? To what extent are you evolving? How often do you change rooms? And is your current environment already your most important success factor?
To make sure that nothing stands in the way, Dirk Kreuter has two pieces of clever advice for you: "Firstly, never go to seminars alone. Always take some of your environment with you. And secondly: If you receive a card for your birthday with best wishes and the saying "Stay as you are", then tear up this card! Or better yet, put it in an envelope and send it back! Because the worst thing that can happen to you is that three years from now, you'll still be exactly the same person you are today."
