Who you surround yourself with is much more important than how many are in your network.

There are many levels of personal, social and professional connections that can lift you higher or take you down; some of the people can motivate you; give you good sound advice, and can be resourceful enough to provide that boost to help you right to the top.

It is very important to know who may be a good or bad influence on your goals and productivity so that you can handle them accordingly.

Here are the top six types of great people I like hanging out with, and I recommend them to you:

The Dreamer: These are people who are passionate about my dreams; there positive energy makes me enjoy my work and make my dreams come true. They are idealist who will listen to my ideas; we share insights, and work. We help each other achieve our dreams. They do not give negative judgment in my brainstorming phase; giving me the vital relief while I put the plan together with possible alternatives.

The Mentor: I try to surround myself with as many confident, successful people as possible, no matter their field of expertise. I enjoy meeting and talking with these people and to bounce ideas off each other. Their stories inspire me and give me hope. They share their wisdom and experience and give direction. I am so grateful to these guys.

The Insider – Inside solid advice from the experts who seem to have a good handle on industry trends make a big difference. An insider usually gives me many predictions and advice where I should focus my energy. They keep me informed on what I should be using and what is becoming a weak strategy in my niche.

The Social Media Master: I have few of them: They have a strong grip on popular social media sites, proper etiquette, and they can give the right amount of promotion. They empower me on how to take advantage of social media, promote and defend my online brand and projects, and they help check my online content. I take their advice seriously and swiftly.

The Information Technology (IT) Guru: Yes, I have one or two IT gurus. These guys are masters in IT and have done a good job in keeping ahead of the pack in terms of technology. They keep me on top of the changing technology, new innovations, updates, hot products, software, apps, and devices that are trending. Befriend an IT Guru can make your social networking so much easier.

The Protégé: These are people hungry for wisdom and opportunities to improve themselves. They are good learners who constantly ask questions to further their cause and reach their dreams. I pay special attention to them because they are the future.

Be careful about your close connections. Surrounding yourself with the right people is crucial to your personal growth and development. To be honest, you truly need good friends to assist you in this journey of life.


Taka Sande is an author, an entrepreneur and development activist. He has a passion for making a difference by influencing and adding value to people’s lives.