One of my favorite parts of pursuing my dreams is developing collaborations and learning from other people. I love discovering new ideas and strategies that can accelerate my progress.

Unfortunately, many people view getting help or learning new strategies negatively. They're suspicious of it. Even the word "influence" has gotten watered down. Today, it's become synonymous with the ability to get likes, subscribers, and hawk products we don't really need.

But being influenced and having influence runs much deeper. It's the ability to choose a certain path or convince others to take specific action. Most of the time, this gets framed negatively. However, it can be one of the most powerful strategies someone can use to reach new levels of success.

Author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. I mostly agree with this statement, with a few minor caveats.

Here's another myth: we're all independent thinkers who form opinions and strategies without outside influence. Nothing could be further from the truth. We're all influenced by the people in our lives and anyone we listen to or pay attention to. Let's unpack Jim Rohn's assertion.

We're all trying to accomplish professional, personal, financial, and health goals. We want certain outcomes. Whether that's achieving a specific income level, looking a certain way, being able to travel, having a certain lifestyle, or creating generational wealth.

From a young age, these desires form based on the messages we hear growing up. Some might hear messages like "it is what it is," "your only opportunity is to work in the local factory," or "college is for those people."

Or you might hear more aspirational messages. "The opportunities are endless." "You can do anything." Messages of entrepreneurship and possibility. Even though my disability had a great impact on my life, most of my family were entrepreneurs. My dad bought a business without any money, and within a couple of years it became the ticket to a comfortable life. That shaped my narrative.

The second way we're influenced is through our habits and how we approach our goals. This includes the quality of our habits, how hard we work, how focused we are, our level of commitment, and basically how we attack our goals.

The third area where we're influenced is how we handle and deal with challenges. Ingrained in my narrative was the fact that any challenge we meet can be dealt with. Growing up, I felt there was no challenge we couldn't handle. My mom forbade the phrase "life's not fair" and my dad continues to say we're the luckiest people on earth. They always acted like having a disabled child just involved a few extra steps.

I still operate under that same framework. My disability presents challenges that can be dealt with through a few extra steps. Having somebody type for me, getting ready in the morning, or translating my words on stage or on a business call is just a few more steps. That's my mindset. Unfortunately, many people can't even handle a small challenge, let alone a major one.

This is where the people you associate with and spend your valuable time with matter most. A person tends to gravitate toward and be influenced by the people they spend time with and emulate. I was always attracted to positive people who were aspirational and had something to teach me that would improve my life and my approach to my situation.

Jim Rohn was right. We're influenced by the people we spend time with and respect. Unfortunately, many people aren't interested in growing. They're interested in having their situation validated. They want to blame external factors and spend time with people who share the same worldview.

I mentioned a caveat. Sometimes we spend time with people who don't influence us and are just respite from our obligations and responsibilities. I don't need someone I watch sports with to influence my business goals, and vice versa. Not everybody has to mean everything all the time. Sometimes, a drinking buddy or someone you go running with is just that.

Many successful people have a small circle of advisors and people they can lean on for support. We all need help thinking through the decisions we need to make. Being influenced or being able to influence people is crucial in achieving any kind of success.

Practically speaking, it could be going out with a friend who chooses a healthy restaurant instead of one who always suggests fast food. Or spending time with a friend who talks about investing rather than complaining about how challenging the economy is. It could be spending time with people who can support you in moving up in your career. For an entrepreneur, it could be spending time with other entrepreneurs who know how to support you in your next endeavor or help you navigate current challenges.

Two of your most precious resources are your time and your focus. Focus on spending time with people who can influence you positively, and more importantly, be willing to listen and act on the message you're hearing.

Ask a lot of questions. Be willing to help. Be willing to listen. Be willing to be challenged. It could be as simple as "hey, let's go for a run" or "I'm dealing with a challenge, what do you think?" Depending on who you rely on, you'll get vastly different answers and support. Be willing to rely on people who can elevate you rather than people who will keep you where you are or drag you down.

Go out there and be willing to influence other people.