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Adam Smith | April 1, 2013 | 13 Comments

Surround Yourself With People You Don’t Agree With

It is usually our first reaction to surround ourselves with those who completely agree with us. There is no conflict and it feels good to be right all the time. But what about the people who don’t always agree with us? Should we be able to disagree on things and still live in harmony with each other? Absolutely.

It helps to have those around you who don’t always agree with you, because these new perspectives will either challenge you to back up what you are saying or you will begin to learn new things. There are many people who teach me things in certain areas, but I don’t completely agree with them in other areas. Being around those who challenge your thinking will give you new ideas and will also strengthen your gift of discernment. Never forget that everyone has something valuable to offer; you may just need to first get over your need of always being right.

Also on this same topic, please don’t be afraid to share your honest opinion graciously with others once trust is built in a relationship. This important step will help you become comfortable and confident in what you believe, as well.

Have you ever surrounded yourself with people you don’t agree with? If so, did you learn something from them? You can leave your comment below.

Filed Under: Relationships

Adam Smith

I teach people how to have a greater impact through their work and their time. You can read more about me on my about page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says

    April 3, 2013 at 10:05 am

    Hey thanks for the for the Twitter follow; so glad to have discovered you and your awesome blog. Adding you to my bloglovin’ queue now, as well.

    I think it is so important to surround ourselves with people who are different than us and don’t agree with everything we say. Iron sharpens iron. And some of my most growing moments have been when I have had to work through a conflict with another person or to walk in their shoes and see the world through their eyes. While it might be more tempting to surround ourselves with people who “yes” us to death, it is certainly not the choice if we want to grow and change. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      April 3, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      Thank you so much Lauren. I like the saying “Iron sharpens iron.” Checking out your blog now and thanks for reading.

      Reply
  2. Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says

    April 3, 2013 at 10:05 am

    Hey thanks for the for the Twitter follow; so glad to have discovered you and your awesome blog. Adding you to my bloglovin’ queue now, as well.

    I think it is so important to surround ourselves with people who are different than us and don’t agree with everything we say. Iron sharpens iron. And some of my most growing moments have been when I have had to work through a conflict with another person or to walk in their shoes and see the world through their eyes. While it might be more tempting to surround ourselves with people who “yes” us to death, it is certainly not the choice if we want to grow and change. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      April 3, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      Thank you so much Lauren. I like the saying “Iron sharpens iron.” Checking out your blog now and thanks for reading.

      Reply
  3. Kathy Fannon says

    April 20, 2013 at 10:32 am

    While talking with some friends of mine, who I don’t always agree with, I said, “Why are we so afraid of rejection or acceptance that we don’t realize others may welcome our differences as an opportunity to learn and grow?” That struck me so much, I added it to quotes on my Facebook page.

    Great post, Adam!

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      April 20, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      I love that quote! Thanks for reading and commenting, Kathy!

      Reply
  4. Kathy Fannon says

    April 20, 2013 at 10:32 am

    While talking with some friends of mine, who I don’t always agree with, I said, “Why are we so afraid of rejection or acceptance that we don’t realize others may welcome our differences as an opportunity to learn and grow?” That struck me so much, I added it to quotes on my Facebook page.

    Great post, Adam!

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      April 20, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      I love that quote! Thanks for reading and commenting, Kathy!

      Reply
  5. Sandy says

    May 5, 2013 at 10:42 pm

    Yes – I learned several things. Even if it is gracious, most people don’t want to hear the truth and never offer your opinion unless trust is first established. Most importantly, I’ve learned that putting people around you with a different view is so helpful because some one in your congregation/group is going to have the same view as that other person.

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      May 6, 2013 at 7:41 am

      Exactly, Sandy. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  6. Sandy says

    May 5, 2013 at 10:42 pm

    Yes – I learned several things. Even if it is gracious, most people don’t want to hear the truth and never offer your opinion unless trust is first established. Most importantly, I’ve learned that putting people around you with a different view is so helpful because some one in your congregation/group is going to have the same view as that other person.

    Reply
    • Adam Smith says

      May 6, 2013 at 7:41 am

      Exactly, Sandy. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  7. m_sultanabaas says

    October 15, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Really useful words I read here thanks a lot and also thanks for the follow on twitter

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Adam Smith and welcome to asmithblog.com. I am the author of the book, The Bravest You. Because of my work as an entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and speaker, I have been named a top industry influencer by American Genius. I live with my wife, Jasmine, and three children in Shenandoah, IA.

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