The Law of Magnetism states that “Who you are is who you attract.”  I guess the first question is who are you?  Take a look at the people that you spend the most time with (by choice not job position) and chances are you are going to see quite a few similarities.  Now consider the people that you are drawn to.  Most likely, they share similar characteristics and interests that you do.  Now that we know who we are and who we spend our time with – What next?

I am of the belief that everyone desires more in life.  It may be happiness, money, physical attributes, success, notoriety or any of a number of things but the desire remains constant; more of something.  So how do we apply the Law of Magnetism to reach these goals?

John Maxwell in his The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, gives us three characteristics to focus on in considering this law and how it equates to our success or goal achievement.

ENERGY – We are drawn to people that have a similar energy level as we do and likewise, those that are drawn to us are typically a match for our energy level.  If you find yourself or those around you lacking motivation and drive you have two options.  Change yourself or change your friends.  This may seem harsh but I experienced this in my own life.  As a speaker, coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, I have been highly energized through collaboration with like-minded individuals helping each other to pursue common goals and dreams.

GIFTEDNESS – We are all born with specific gifts and talents that come naturally to us.   For example, you will typically see athletes running in the same crowd and similarly you might find engineers or doctors running in their own circles.  Here is the key – although we come into this world with a set of specific talents, there is nothing keeping us from learning new skills that will provide the opportunity to change the type of groups that we spend our time with.  As we become more proficient in these new skills and become part of these new circles, soon we will not only be attracted to like-minded individuals but we will see them drawn to us.

LEADERSHIP ABILITY – John Maxwell says that “Leadership is Influence, Nothing More, Nothing Less.”  Consider the people that influence you and consider the people that you influence.  How would you answer the question “Would you like to be more or less like the people you are spending your time with?”  That may be a question that you may not like the answer to.  The good news is that you have all you need, inside yourself, to make the changes to better surround yourself with like minded people that will make you more of what you could be.

Who you are is who you attract.  If you don’t like the type of people you are attracting, it might be time to make some changes.  What changes will you make?

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Next Up:  Law # 10 – The Law of Connection

Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   7/11/12