The Importance Of Supporting Your Friend’s Grind & Why People Abstain From Doing So

“Show me your 5 closest friends and I’ll show you your future”

In an era where everyone seems to have climbed Mount Everest, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself from the competition. The rise of social media and social networking has intensified tenfold the competition for jobs, be it in finance or the music industry.

• If you see that one of your closest friends is trying to differentiate themselves and try something new, in this age of constant innovation, you have a responsibility to support them.

In truth, this should not be difficult. All it takes is a like or a share.  A simple “Check out my friends new song” or “Have a look at this up and coming new business” would normally suffice. Strangely however, it seems that amongst the new generation, the support for their peers is not there – But why is that?

Institutional Brainwashing 

Firstly, it would make sense to have a look at the education system. We are programmed as children, like robots, to believe that the education system is perfect. You go to school, go to university, work for someone else, retire and die.

• Have you ever noticed that, if you see someone post that they are setting up a new business, it barely gets any attention?
• Yet when someone posts that they have been offered a new job, there are hundreds of congratulatory comments?
• It’s because we have been programmed this way, it is the only way the system can work. 99% of us have to believe in this system for it to work, and we do.

The Rise Of The Start Up 

But this trend is changing. More millennials are becoming revolutionary entrepreneurs everyday. In major cities across the globe we are seeing start-ups on every corner. People are realising the power they have, but this power is only obtained through the original support of your peers and your network. According to UK Business angels, in 2016, there were 650 000 new start-ups, and this figure is only set to increase.

As promising at this is, the downside is that it only increases competition for exposure and investment. You need to be a part of your friends’ exposure. Even if you cannot invest financially, you can invest in their grind through your own advertisement.

But what’s in it for you?

First of all, if you have to ask this question, you’re probably a shit friend.

This MAY come as a shock, but it’s *not* all about you. As humans, we are born with an inherent level of narcissism in thinking that our ideas are always better than others. However, this is false. Your friend could be holding the key to the next huge multinational firm. They could be the next Steve Jobs, the next Bob Marley, it could be anything at all. Yet if YOU don’t take the first step and support them at the beginning, how can you expect others to?

So, what IS in it for you is the chance to give someone the platform and provide the audience necessary to succeed. Everyone has a completely different network that can be tapped into in different ways. If you provide them with a route into your network, they will reciprocate in the future and give you access to their network, which will therefore lead to more and more networks being established.

Time To Grow Up

Another benefit, especially for young people, is that in supporting your friends you take the first step in growing up. A lot of people abstain from supporting their friend’s grind because they don’t fully understand it. They don’t get it. They don’t understand the vision – and this is completely normal.

What is not normal however is abstaining because you are embarrassed by their ambition. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are great for sharing ideas and generating internet traffic to your website. Yet people do not want to be seen supporting something that their other followers (who they probably don’t know) would turn their nose up at.

If the substance that your friends are putting out is good enough, eventually, with hard work and support, they will get the exposure necessary to be a success. However, YOU will be left behind. Then, when you try to break out of the boundaries holding you back, you will have little to no support at all. It’s a cycle, and a cycle you do not want to be caught up in. 

It Costs Nothing To Be a Good Friend

Finally, there is nothing better than seeing a true friend grow and prosper in life. Their ambition and development should ultimately motivate you to find your passion and do the same. Once you find your passion, they will reciprocate your support 10 times over.

• If they have musical ability, support their Soundcloud platform.
• If they are athletic, go to their competitions and promote their success.
• If they have a website, like and comment on their posts.

Whatever their talent or their grind, there are multiple ways you can help out.

It is crazy to think that in this day and age, where it is so hard to differentiate yourself, so many have effectively given up. It’s easy to forget that in this rat race there is so much you can do to make a difference.

Support your Friends. Work together. Come up with ideas together. Network together.

Tomás Curran