Who in your life inspires you to be a better person?

There are a lot of people in our lives, but not all of them elevate us to our best selves. Find out which of your connections — family, friends, and co-workers — help you stay true to you.

Explore Your Relationships

Anchor Relationships are special connections marked by a mutual desire to see each other flourish. People who act as Anchors bolster each other’s self-efficacy and help each person stay true to their best selves.

It’s often said that “happiness is a good friend,” in this way, Anchor Relationships enable people to grow and to experience deep contentment and joy. These special connections also keep us rooted to our most honest and ethical selves — helping us uphold our virtues during difficult times. In this way, our Anchors help us avoid choices we would later regret. 

How Anchors Inspire Each Other

In interviews, people have described how the Anchors in their lives supported them during difficult times and helped them celebrate their personal moments of success. 

  • “My Anchor provided clarity for me during a time when I was struggling. She gave me an a-hah moment that was like ‘yes,’ and then I realized how I wanted to handle that situation.”

  • “Early in my career, I was doing something I loved but working with someone who wasn’t honest and was taking a lot of short-cuts. I was worried that if I pushed back, things would fall apart. I found my voice with the support of my Anchor who helped me realize that I don’t have to endure indignity. I can draw hard lines, and I can handle it.”

  • “[There was a time when I was leading organizational change and a lot of people were angry about the changes I was enacting.] My Anchor said to me: ‘you cannot take this so personally.’ That was part of the issue. She also helped me capitalize on an opportunity for transformative conversation with the protagonist and talk about the issue that we need to solve together. I might have left the job without a helping hand.”

Anchor Relationships Keep Us Honest

A 2019 research study about moral leadership found that one important key to acting ethically lies in forming the right relationships. This study of moral exemplars — people who have successfully navigated conflict and remained honest — revealed that relationships with people who share our virtues act as a “reinforcing mechanism” when we are confronted with a difficult choice. Our friends, siblings, spouses, and mentors keep us on track when temptation arises. Read the full study and learn more about these fascinating people and how they stayed true to their virtues in difficult situations.