Let’s talk about one of the more uncomfortable truths of the author life. It has nothing to do with books, but it has everything to do with how others perceive you. And therefore, that means it has everything to do with your social standing and how much others want to be around you.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: people judge you by the company you keep. If you spend time with positive, successful, generous people, you will be perceived the same way. You will borrow their influence and others will want to be around you because other people’s goodwill and positivity will be transferred to you. Of course, you can destroy this borrowed goodwill by being a jerk, but if you keep good company, it will greatly help your success.

The opposite is also true. If you spend time with negative people who complain, aren’t growing, and tear others down, you will be perceived the same way as well. You can do lots of good things yourself, but we are judged by the company we keep. As they say, bad company corrupts good character.

This may not be fair, but it’s the way that social relationships work. We are always looking for ways to gauge whether someone is a potential threat, and one of the ways we do this is by seeing who they spend time with. One of the fastest shortcuts to success is by spending time with people who others like to be around. As a result, they will also be open to spending time with you and giving you opportunities. This can greatly help your writing and business opportunities.

Daily Question: Take a good look at the people you spend the most time with. Are they helping to improve your reputation and social standing?