FBC – 211 – This is when you know you made the right decision.

This is when you know you made the right decision.

Today, I want to discuss a particular situation that will definitely happen to you.

It could be that you are having second thoughts about the path you have chosen. It's perfectly normal and everybody goes through this phase.

Thankfully, there will come situations that will comfort you in the idea that you made the right decision.

All the answers are in this episode

I already told you this, but the five people you hang out with the most are going to basically have a big, big impact on who you are. So you need to select these people very, very carefully. So, you know, it may happen to you, right. Nothing to do with business or whatever.

It's just sometimes you have some friends, like childhood friends, right? You were inseparable and stuff. You were doing everything together. But at some point, something happens. You have other ambitions? You know, you go to university and they decided to go somewhere else. So it's not you, it's just life that happens.

So with my friends, we ended up, taking different paths. It's not that you don't like those people or anything anymore. It's just that life goes on then. You know, things change. So the path that you had for yourself a few years ago when you were younger and all that stuff, it changes every day. And it can happen a lot.

I've actually chosen a path which is like self-development. I like to learn stuff. I like deep conversations with people. You know something where the subject is meaningful. I don't like the atmospheres where you're in a nightclub and you're like, hey, what's your name?

My problem with nightclubs and stuff, which is why I don't go there that often, is that I can't have a conversation with people. And that's something that's important for me.

So my brother is more into those circles where, you know, they go out to nightclubs. So anyway, I realized, when you make your life choices, then, well, you tend to gravitate towards those people that actually, fit you or the path that you've chosen.

And you kind of forget how it is to hang out with the other people. You know, people who are not necessarily the same vibe as you are.

This is when you know you made the right decision.

Sometimes when you hear, like, those stories and stuff, you understand why you didn't want that. So, you know, my brother was telling me about, oh, you know what? We were in a nightclub and these guys got in an argument with these people. Then he ended up in the fight. And then afterwards, they chased the dudes, you know, after the fight was dispersed. And that reminds me why it's the last thing I want.

So these are, you know, some of the things that if you hang out with people like this, you know, and these are the people you spend most of your time with. What do you think is going to happen to your life in terms of self-improvement and reaching your goals and stuff?

If you're always hanging out with people who are always in a fight and drinking and partying. Well, it doesn't help you. So I'm not saying not to go out and enjoy yourself. I'm just saying, if you spend your time partying and chasing women or chasing dudes. And you end up in fights and just wasting that money.

So, the people around you, I mean, they're so critical.

So I'm very happy that sometimes I get a reminder that the choice that I made and the choices that I made for myself were the right ones for me. I'm not saying all these are bad people. I hang out with them. The choice I made for myself, the direction I want to go to, the choice of not hanging out with that kind of people is the right choice for me, for me as a person.

I really like having people around me who will motivate me to move forward. People who I can see that are actually busting their ass and they're being creative and, you know, they have their dedication and everything, all these values that I that I like. And they respect people's time and stuff.

And they understand that they need to invest in themselves because nobody's going to do that for them. And they don't complain all the time. So, you know, it's just some thoughts that are coming back. Hearing all these stories.

The people who drift away from your life after you change direction are not a loss. They are confirmation. When the gap between who you were and who you are becoming becomes visible in your relationships, that is the moment you know your decisions are working.

How I know a business decision was right, long before the results show up

You rarely know a decision was right on the day you make it. The results come months later. So I stopped grading decisions by outcome and started grading them by process. Did I have the facts I could get. Did it match where I want to be in five years. Could I sleep after making it. If yes, it was a good decision, even if it lost.

I have made big calls: leaving the safe path, building 4 companies from Bali, moving across 49 countries. Some paid off slowly. The ones I regret are the ones I made from fear, not from a clear head. I write about these turning points on my story page and unpack them on my Substack. For frameworks that actually help under pressure, Harvard Business Review has strong work on decision making, and McKinsey has good research on cutting through bias. Judge the process. The scoreboard will catch up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know you made the right decision in life?

One of the clearest signals is the shift in the people around you. When you change direction in life, your circle naturally adjusts. People who valued what you used to do start to drift. People who share your new values start to appear. When you encounter the old world you left and feel genuinely relieved you are not in it anymore, that is your answer. You made the right decision for who you are becoming.

Why do the people around you reflect your decisions?

Because habits, conversations, and environments are contagious. You tend to adopt the standards of the people you spend the most time with. If the people around you are disciplined, ambitious, and investing in themselves, those qualities reinforce your own. If the people around you are stuck, reactive, or draining, that energy pulls you toward the same outcomes. Your circle is not just a reflection of your past. It is actively shaping your future.

Is it normal to drift apart from old friends when you change your life path?

Completely normal. Friendships built around a shared environment or lifestyle often fade when one person's priorities shift. That is not betrayal or loss. It is growth creating distance. The fact that you have less to say to people who are living a life you no longer want is a healthy sign. You are not better than them. You are just different now, in ways that matter for the direction you are headed.

How do you choose the right people to have around you as a solopreneur?

Look for people who are building something, who invest in their own development, who respect their time and yours, and who do not spend most conversations complaining. You do not need to find people doing exactly what you are doing. You need people who are operating with a similar level of intentionality. Ambition is contagious in both directions. Spend your time with people who raise the standard of what you think is possible.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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