Do you have an inner circle? I hope so. We all need an inner circle. The inner circle are the ones who are there for you at the drop of a hat and show up even when you didn’t know you needed them. They are the ones who always believe in you while loving you enough to tell you the sometimes-ugly truth right to your face. The Colonel said, “Make sure you find a few true friends. We all need someone to cheer us on when we’ve hit bottom and keep us humble when we get too full of ourselves.”
It’s possible your inner circle is or includes your family, but it doesn’t have to. (Family dynamics are often tricky things!) Sometimes we maintain the same inner circle for our entire adult lives, but more often than not, our circles change. They grow or shrink and morph as we ourselves grow and morph. The best inner-circle relationships are the ones you choose and the ones who also choose you. The ones you can reach out to when you need to be told a genuine truth.
Throughout your life, you will be surrounded by many people who call you friend, especially if you gain some measure of success, wealth, or fame. Your inner circle should be the ones you choose, those few who you allow to see you during the good, the bad, and the ugliest of times. They are the ones who keep you real, honest, and authentic. Without this type of external conscience, it’s just too easy to get caught in a loop of self-doubt OR self-importance. Your inner circle keeps you grounded in the middle and helps you focus on helping others grow. Having an inner circle is essential to significant leadership.
You can’t be significant alone or in a vacuum of authenticity. Find your inner circle. Choose people who are loyal enough to always be in your corner and honest enough to be truthful with things you don’t want to hear.
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