--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to surround myself with the kind…" description: "\"“I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png" --- # I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who… ![“I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpened.” quote by Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png) > ““I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpened.”” [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He surrounds himself with strong, challenging people who sharpen his abilities, like iron against iron. **In simple terms:** Being with driven peers sharpens personal growth. Key Takeaway Find peers who challenge and inspire you. Themes self‑improvement resilience community Mood determined energetic Type inspirational coach When to use this quote - startup incubators - fitness groups - study circles - professional networks Key Concepts growth mindset peer influence personal development Questions to Reflect On - Who in your life pushes you to improve? - How can you become a sharpening force for others? A Different Perspective Overreliance on others may hinder independent thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Kind people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-people/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) ## Related quotes > [“Demons don’t like iron. Or any metal really. Leave it at that. It hurts them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-worthen/demons-don-t-like-iron-or-any-metal-really-leave-it-at-that-it-hurts/) [Johnny Worthen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-worthen/) > [“Love is like chains of unbreakable steel. Love is like iron weights, heavier than the world. Love can crush just as surely as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/love-is-like-chains-of-unbreakable-steel-love-is-like-iron-weights/) [G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/) > [I don't think I'm going to go into Iron Man. I mean, I can't say that I won't go into something like an Iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/i-don-t-think-i-m-going-to-go-into-iron-man-i-mean-i-can-t-say-that-i/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) > [Seems like my iron play gets a little better every year. Which makes sense - I've been working hard on things with my teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-bradley/seems-like-my-iron-play-gets-a-little-better-every-year-which-makes/) [Keegan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-bradley/) > [Ancient stars in their death throes spat out atoms like iron which this universe had never known. ... 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August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [“I wanted it-like iron.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/i-wanted-it-like-iron/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Now you wear your skin like iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/townes-van-zandt/now-you-wear-your-skin-like-iron/) [Townes Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/townes-van-zandt/) > [Despair can be like an iron band constricting the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/despair-can-be-like-an-iron-band-constricting-the-heart/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [I've been trying too long with too dull of a knife But tonight I made sure that I sharpened it twice I never bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/i-ve-been-trying-too-long-with-too-dull-of-a-knife-but-tonight-i-made/) Patience > [“I hate being fat. I hate the way people look at me, or don't. I hate being a joke; I hate the disorienting limbo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/i-hate-being-fat-i-hate-the-way-people-look-at-me-or-don-t-i-hate/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [Affliction, like the iron-smith, shapes as it smites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/affliction-like-the-iron-smith-shapes-as-it-smites/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) ## More by Eric Thomas > [Your relationships will either make you or break you and there is no such thing as a neutral relationship. People either inspire you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/your-relationships-will-either-make-you-or-break-you-and-there-is-no/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [At some point in life you have to face your fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/at-some-point-in-life-you-have-to-face-your-fears/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [When you're great! You attract great! When you're average! You attract average!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/when-you-re-great-you-attract-great-when-you-re-average-you-attract/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“It's not easy, but it's simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/it-s-not-easy-but-it-s-simple/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I kind of knew that there were a lot of people that didn't go to church and normally wouldn't listen to people, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-kind-of-knew-that-there-were-a-lot-of-people-that-didn-t-go-to/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Las Vegas doesn't allow ( tourism ) to dictate the social norms of their community. 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Ask, Believe and Claim It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/apply-the-abc-s-of-success-to-your-life-ask-believe-and-claim-it/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“IDENTIFY your CHALLENGE area. Describe the thoughts that you commonly have in that area. Describe the things that you commonly say concerning that area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/identify-your-challenge-area-describe-the-thoughts-that-you-commonly/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [If you sleep,you will miss the OPPORTUNITY to be successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/if-you-sleep-you-will-miss-the-opportunity-to-be-successful/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Sometimes it ain’t about being the most talented. Sometimes it ain’t about being the smartest. Sometimes it’s not even about working the hardest. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/sometimes-it-ain-t-about-being-the-most-talented-sometimes-it-ain-t/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [The difference between those who succeed and fail: not taking advantage of opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/the-difference-between-those-who-succeed-and-fail-not-taking/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I think my greatest strengths are my hands. I am also good at getting separation from the defender and finding ways to get open.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-think-my-greatest-strengths-are-my-hands-i-am-also-good-at-getting/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) [Explore all 210 Eric Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) Unknow > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpened.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kind-of-people-who-could-help-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kind-of-people-who-could-help-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/eric-thomas-1758_friendship_i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kin_1999765.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I…” — Eric Thomas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eric Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I wanted to surround myself with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kind-of-people-who-could-help-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-wanted-to-surround-myself-with-the-kind-of-people-who-could-help-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```