The world is full of people––and any normal person will meet countless other people throughout their lives. Within a vast pool of individuals, we will remain close with very few of them. Our every interaction with each of these people with eventually determine our relationships and future interactions with them. Whether we begin to appreciate their friendship, decide we don’t agree with their values, or even some convoluted in-between, being able to evaluate our connections with people and determine the best course of action is a crucial skill to have.
Too many people tend to cast their net too wide. They believe that the more people they talk to, the more value they will receive from those relationships. After all, it seems intuitive that each connection brings increased benefits. However, it should be just as intuitive that the thinner you spread yourself out, the shallower each of your relationships are. To gain maximum value, it is imperative for one to pick and choose the right relationships.
That task in itself can often be dangerously controlled by impulses. Forming blind connections with people that seem to be universally liked or unusually successful can be tempting, as it is human nature to want to be popular and well known. Yet, walking into these relationships ignorant or neglecting important factors can be damaging in the long run. People are often not what they appear like on the outside, and watching for red flags without ignoring them is important.
Though it is hard, one must learn how to cut someone off if it is necessary for their welfare. Since humans are social creatures, it can feel counterintuitive to reject interactions with others. However, learning to identify which relationships are worth spending time on cultivating is a skill necessary to maximize value in life.
