--- title: On Your Reinforcements | The Sales Blog description: Look at the people you spend the most time with. Do these people reinforce a healthy, positive psychology. Or do they reinforce a negative, cynical, results-destroying psychology? When you were young, your parents were concerned about who you hung around with. They wanted you to have the right friends (And if you were my mother, […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_148197803-1.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Do these people reinforce a healthy, [positive psychology](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/09/03/the-case-for-improving-your-personal-psychology/). Or do they reinforce a negative, cynical, results-destroying psychology? When you were young, your parents were concerned about who you hung around with. They wanted you to have the right friends (And if you were my mother, I gave you a lot to worry about in this regard). There’s a good reason your parents worried about who you spent time with: it reinforced a certain psychology, a certain set of beliefs, and a certain set of behaviors. What concerned your parents should still concern you. The people you spend time with can build you up or pull you down. #### Positive Reinforcements Are the people you spend time with making you more positive? Do they reinforce your belief that you are capable of more, that [you can be more](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/04/30/chip-away-the-parts-that-arent-the-best-you/)? Did they reinforce a positive personal psychology, empowering you and supporting you? Do they challenge you to be more? Do they inspire you? What are you providing them? Are you growing together, learning from each other? #### Negative Reinforcements Or do the people you spend time with reinforce your fears? Do they have a scarcity mindset, always believing that they don’t have enough because someone else has more? Are they naysayers and cynics, never drinking the Kool-Aid? Do they blame others for where they are? Do they lower the bar? Have you allowed them to steal your dreams? I don’t know if misery loves company, but [the miserable sure do](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2010/10/01/negativity-the-only-cancer-that-spreads-by-contact/). What beliefs are they reinforcing? #### Your Choice You are responsible for you own personal psychology, your mindset. You have to protect that personal psychology. You may not recognize the negative influences continually working at the subconscious level destroying your personal psychology, but I assure they are all around you. The antidote is to not allow people with a negative personal psychology to make their psychology your psychology. That means [avoiding negative people](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2011/09/06/no-garbage-in-no-garbage-out/) and refusing to be infected by their poor mindset. Inoculate yourself by spending time with people who have higher standards and who will hold you accountable to your own highest standards. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2013](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2013) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on October 15, 2013 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-06-16T3:23:38 PM", "datePublished" : "2013-10-15 19:08:17", "description" : "Look at the people you spend the most time with. Do these people reinforce a healthy, positive psychology. Or do they reinforce a negative, cynical, results-destroying psychology? When you were young, your parents were concerned about who you hung around with. 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