Rule 9: Stay close to your circle, which should be extremely small (1 or 2).
Having a close circle is very critical in life. The more people you are around, the more chances that your business will be amongst them all. Keeping things close held and with fewer people reduces drama. I’ve always believed that having one or two friends is the solution. Having a lot of acquaintances is fine at a distance but a few close friends are best.
Think about the idea of having a whole lot of friends. They introduce peer pressure, they tend to persuade you to do things you probably don’t want to do. You tend to go places you don’t want to go and you’ll find yourself in compromising situations. So not having a circle that’s small makes managing your life simple. Some people need friends and others don’t, so if you want friends, I would suggest that you choose your friends wisely.
Not only is it essential that your circle is small but your circle should be with trusted friends. People you know you can confide in. People to whom your business is not on the Evening News. Most of my good friends I have known for over twenty-five years. I can count those friends on the one hand. These are people that I would trust with my life.
If you have to compromise morals to keep friends you need to ask yourself if these people are worthy of being your friends. Friendship is not something to be taken lightly, it’s something that you should consider deeply. Let it develop naturally, and if it doesn’t, then maybe this person falls into the acquaintance category. Most importantly: you must know the difference. Choose your friends wisely.