Okay, so you’re committed to this Work Less, Make More idea. You think it sounds like the life you want to live. Your first question is probably, "Where do I start?" 

You start by looking at who is in your life right now.

In order for you to redesign how you operate, you must consciously decide who’s on your support team and who’s on your sabotage team. The support team is full of the people in your life who want you to succeed. They want you to be happy, fulfilled, and passionate about living. And they are willing to help you create whatever kind of life you want to create.

Your sabotage team is made up of all the people who don’t support your growth. It’s not that they are evil people – it’s just that your success is a constant reminder that they aren’t living up to their own potential. They say things like:

"You can’t do that!"

"What a stupid idea."

"Why aren’t you satisfied with what you have?”

Your sabotage team derives a tremendous benefit from having you stay the same. But when you’re on the Work Less, Make More journey, you’re not going to stay the same. You can’t. And your changes will threaten your sabotage team. It’s like asking your drinking buddies at the bar to support your quest to stop drinking. It hardly ever happens.

So many times I see people’s dreams squashed because they didn’t consciously decide whom to let into their lives. I hear things like:

"But I’ve been friends with her since I was five years old."

"He doesn’t really mean to be critical. That’s just who he is."

"I know that despite what they say, they do want me to be happy." 

Don’t be fooled. You’re making excuses for people who aren’t ready to support you on your success journey.

The truth is, you become the sum total of the people you spend time with. If you’re hanging out with negative people, you’re going to be negative. If you’re hanging out with passionate, inspiring people, chances are you’re going to live a passionate and inspiring life. Yet most people don’t consciously decide whom they spend their time with. Don’t let this happen to you.

The first step toward working less and making more is to decide who’s on your support team. Take some time to ask them for their help as you redesign your life. Let them know how much you appreciate their encouragement, and how rare it is to find support like theirs.

You may find that you’ll need to build a new circle of friends. And that’s okay. Part of changing and growing is upgrading the people you allow into your life.

But how should you handle your sabotage team? Limit the time you spend with them, and keep your successes to yourself. Don’t expect them to applaud your success. They probably won’t be able to. Just know that your life can become a shining example of what their lives could be. 

And that’s the best gift you can ever give them—and yourself.