I opened The Greatest Salesman In The World, a parable about a salesman in ancient times who was gifted with ten scrolls of wisdom, and was told to read one scroll aloud, three times a day, for thirty days before moving on to the next scroll:
I will Form Good Habits and Become their Slave
Greet Each Day With Love In Your Heart
Multiply Your Value Every Day
All is Worthless Without Action
The cause-and-effect relationship and weight gains
You are not just the average of the five people you surround yourself with. You're the average of all the extended people who surround you.
One major study found that if a friend of yours becomes obese, you are 45 percent more likely to gain weight over the next two to four years. If a friend of your friend becomes obese, your probability of gaining weight increases by 20 percent, even if you never meet the friend of a friend.
A similar relationship is found with happiness. Happy friends make you happier, and happy friends' friends also increase your happiness.