The 4 Types of People You Need in Your Life
By Jay Shetty
Many believe that we are the sum of the five friends we spend the most time with.
Do you have the right tribe of people in your life? These are the individuals that encourage and support your personal growth with their presence, love, and energy.
You can’t get everything you need from your friends and family, but surrounding yourself with the right people can make a huge difference in your mental health, personal growth, and overall sense of well-being.
Who you choose to surround yourself with is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Here are the 4 types of people you need most in your life.
The Cheerleader
We all need that one friend who is in our corner cheering us on, no matter what. This is the person who supports you with genuine and sincere excitement in all your big (and small) achievements.
The cheerleader is the first to call and congratulate you when something good happens in your life. You can trust that they’ll always be there for you, and you’ll always be there for them.
And even when there’s nothing to celebrate, you both can always find a reason to get excited and enthusiastic about life together.
One of the best ways to find your cheerleader is to begin cheering for others. Be the friend who encourages everyone to celebrate life to the fullest every day. When you throw joy at others in a sincere and genuine way, they’ll notice and throw joy back your way.
The Character Builder
Character counts, especially when it comes to the people you surround yourself with. Find someone who acts as a source of guidance— a guiding light of sorts— that allows you to build your own character and moral compass.
This is about prioritizing integrity, honesty, and honorable values.
It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of the world around you, and we all lose our way at some point. It’s important to have a friend of high character in your life to act as an anchor to ground you when you feel lost and guide you when you don’t know which way to go. They serve as a beautiful reminder of your deeper purpose and what really matters in this life.
The Mentor
Life is about learning, growing, and becoming our best selves. But we can’t do this all on our own. We need someone in our inner circle who is deeply intelligent, well-lived, and full of wisdom to share.
This might be an older friend who has experienced more than you acting as a source of true guidance. They’re able to give you honest advice on life, love, career, and self-care in a way that is compassionate rather than condescending.
If you try to solve all of life’s issues on your own, you’ll only feel lonely and frustrated. Knowing how to navigate the ups and downs of this world isn’t so scary when you have a mentor by your side. And the more you learn from them, the more you grow.
The Challenger
Although our friends can be incredible sources of love and support, we also need a friend who is going to push us beyond our limits.
A challenger is a person who approaches you with tough love. They know your potential, and they want to lovingly move you in the direction of your greatest growth. This is achieved by pushing you outside your comfort zone, encouraging you to accept new ideas and possibilities, and helping you overcome your limiting beliefs, ideas, and fears.
Sometimes being friends with a challenger can be a challenge within itself. You may wonder why they’re being harsh or confrontational with you at times. But a challenger prioritizes honesty above all else, even when it means sacrificing politeness and gentleness.
This isn’t about your feeling, but your greatest growth.
That being said, a challenger always want the best for you. The dominating characteristic of their personality is that they’re always acting with your best interests in mind. Although they love challenging what you’re capable of, they love seeing you thrive and do well even more.
When you find your cheerleader, character builder, mentor, and challenger…
Your inner circle will finally be complete .
These people fill you with joy, integrity, intelligence, and growth. And you do the same for them.
Creating life-long friendships is one of the gifts of being alive. I hope you do so with intention and care, and watch your life (and the lives of your friends) blossom in the process.
