Contributors & Contaminators

Being at your best is often a result of the people that you spend time with. Spending three days at our recent Business School Immersion completely filled my tank! There is something extraordinary about hanging out with like-minded people, people, that feel like home.

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Being at your best is often a result of the people that you spend time with. Spending three days at our recent Business School Immersion completely filled my tank! There is something extraordinary about hanging out with like-minded people, people that feel like home.

One of the most wonderful experiences we have as humans is finding a tribe that we vibe with. All of us have an energy vibe, like a personal wifi signal that others pick up on. Our energy is contagious - we can be lifted up or dragged down by the energy or presence of others. We need to choose our infections wisely! Hopefully, we all have people in our lives who contribute positively to our energy. They improve our mood and make us feel better. They add value. They come with opportunities, kindness, and inspiration.

And then there are the ones who are contaminating. These people muddy your waters and make you feel yuck. Your vibration drops by merely being in their presence. A person who puts you down, belittles you, or does not have your best interests at heart is not a friend. They are an energy robber. They ring you up, talk about themselves, whinge, whine and moan and then hang up the phone. You are left feeling like a deflated balloon with one less hour in your day!

Kick these people to the kerb. You deserve better. The older I get, the more discerning I am about who gets my energy and where I spend my time.

At Thought Leaders, we talk a lot about doing work you love, with people you like, the way you want. There is power in running a practice. You get to say what, who, how, and when you work! You get to decide who you like to work with. The industries, companies, and leaders that you enjoy creating solutions for. You are in charge. An exercise I like to do at the end of each year is a client review. Who have you worked with? What did you enjoy about working with them? What would you like to do differently? How could you work with them again in the future?

You will find that every single person in your life, whether your children, clients, partner, friends, or family, are either contributing or contaminating.

If they are contributing, it means that you feel great when you are with them. You feel better and enjoy their company. They add value, either by being useful, kind, supportive, or just fun. Notice how you feel when your phone rings, when you see someone's name in your inbox - do you get excited or tense? Who are the people you light up around, you feel expansive with and leave feeling possibilities rather than limitations?

If they are contaminating your life, it means that you feel worse after you've been with them. Perhaps you don't enjoy being with them, and you feel contracted and obliged when they are around.

Think about who's contributing to your life and who's contaminating it. Who contributes in your practice? Who is contaminating your world?

I've got four children, and within a day, at any time, one or more of them can be contributing or contaminating. They can go from one to the other very quickly – especially teenagers! They are not aware of the enormous amount of energy that they have and are often at odds with who they are being. This causes all kinds of moods and odd behaviour.

If you value someone in your life, think about how you can honour them by making sure that you are contributing back. How do you say, “Thank you for making a difference in my life”?

At Thought Leaders Business School, we have a culture of sending ‘love notes', of calling people out who are generous, insightful, clever, or kind. There can never be too much genuine gratitude for the incredible people in your life. The clients who refer you. The staff that support you. The family that hold the fort while you ‘do your thing’.

Reach out to contributors in your world and thank them.

 “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It is your masterpiece after all.” - Nathan W Morris

If you want to learn more about Thought Leaders Business School, join us at our next discovery session.

Lisa O'Neill
CEO