Why choose your friends carefully?

Tim Ferris said that you are the average of the top 5 people you hang around with. I found that to be more than true. It is difficult to be an intellect, noble and attentive person if your immediate environment drinks, talks shit and doesn't take life seriously at all. On the other hand, imagine having friends who do better than you, who are more admired than you and more driven than you. You can choose to be intimidated by them or let their strength push you, teach you and influence you.

The first time I fired a childhood friend was when I was 25 and realized that she doesn't contribute value to our friendship anymore. She started hanging out with someone who was as smart as a twig and I did not want to be associated with someone who keeps friends like that girl. We had a good run, but in my opinion, we were just wasting breath on each other. Shortly after this incident, I fired another friend who I dragged along for 6 years. You know the ones who you always call, you always make the effort with, but they cancel, never reschedule and just apologizing for bailing out on you last minute.

I didn't stop here, I started to prepare myself for getting friends I can look up to, but since I'm on a lower level than them, I had to be sure to make a killer first impression. I embarrassed the hell out of myself a few times before I learned how to interact with successful people so they stick around and that's when opportunities started coming to me.

These new friends not just taught me how to think, but how to put myself out there, how to dream big, how to not take no for answer, I became a digital nomad because of them and I built my company because of them. Having friends who are better than me are my free education in business and in life.

Now I don't have a single friend who has low self esteem, who is jealous because I do well, who cancel on me, who "forgets" to reply, who I don't look up to. These new friends from all around the world contributed to my success without expecting anything in exchange but my friendship.

It is important who we hang around with. If I start talking to a group of friends who talk disrespectfully about women and people, who complain a lot or who have very bad habits like smoking, I just stop all in all because time is precious and I can't spend so much on someone to find out whether there is more to that person.

There are plenty of people out there who I would love to talk to, so as to save on opportunity cost I rather cut someone off early than miss out on someone amazing. What do you think?