In one of our DBL podcasts where we talk to successful clinic owners, we hosted Dr. An Nguyen, one of the leading speakers and communication experts, and the owner of the successful Ardent dental clinic in the Netherlands. One of the lessons An spoke about was how important it is to choose the people in our environment we spend the most time with, in other words, who will be our companions on our journey through life. Why is this crucial?
The people in our immediate environment influence us all the time, even when we are not even aware of it – research shows that we are the “common denominator” of the five people we spend the most time with. This is one of the key insights in life, because when we become aware of this fact, we can consciously influence who and how we spend our time. An gave a great personal example through the story of how he came into personal contact with one of his Mentors, the famous motivational speaker Vinh Giang. After making the decision that he wanted to spend time near him and thereby activate the law of the “common denominator”, An studied everything that was available on social networks and the Internet about Vinh – we can safely say that even in this initial step, there was an influence on An. After that, An went to a course held by Vinh in America, where he used the time to find out in which segment he could offer Vinh added value.
After that, he offered him to create professional audio and video content at the next course, which Vinh will be able to use in his own promotion. On that occasion, the first joint interview was recorded, during which both concluded that they have a lot in common – the law of the “common denominator” at work! Today, they have become friends and business associates who create joint plans for the future. At the beginning of this story, Vinh was an unavailable international star lecturer, but thanks to An’s dedication, ingenuity and determination, Vinh is one of the key people in the “inner” circle of influence in An’s life.
To create our own circle of influence, we don’t all have to come into physical proximity to our Mentor or the person we want to bring into our lives. The law of the “common denominator” also works if we study books, online trainings, courses, and the like. Where we direct our focus, our life energy will follow. So look around you and become aware of who the people you spend the most time with are. Ask yourself if this is what you really want or if you can bring a new person into your life, who will inspire you to become a better version of yourself, like An.
