What does it take to be successful? This is a common question among most people. Tom Mendoza, a writer for Forbes, suggests that not only are we what we eat — according to nutritionists — but we also are what we hear.

"The people you surround yourself with — those you interact with regularly — have a huge impact on you. To be successful, you must surround yourself with the right people," says Mendoza. These people will be able to guide you and help you develop skillsets you'll find useful in your personal life as well as your work life.

Below are five of the best and most successful kinds of individuals you should seek out and spend time with. Their positive influence can be very beneficial.

1. Mentor

It seems all great people have had great mentors. Bill Gates, founder and technology advisor of Microsoft, had Warren Buffett, a businessman and investor. Mark Zuckerberg, former Harvard student and co-founder and CEO of Facebook, had the inspirational Steve Jobs as his mentor. Just those two examples show how much of an impact mentors can have on their mentees.

A mentor is someone you trust and feel comfortable with, a friend, a person who has an in-depth knowledge of the career path you want to take, who learns from you, is committed and listens.

"Mentoring — or at minimum connecting with a variety of people in all industries and age groups — has never been more important," says Pamela Ryckman, author of "Stiletto Network: Inside the Women's Power Circles That Are Changing the Face of Business."

She continues, "Mentors help fill your knowledge gaps and seek opportunities to help you grow and excel. A mentor is someone with whom you can let down your guard, share your insecurities, and ask the 'stupid' questions we all have sometimes."

2. Sponsor

Sponsors "are masters at career marketing," according to Dr. Marla Gottschalk, practice manager at consulting firm Rand-Gottschalk & Associates. They help position you where you will obtain further career success and progress. Sponsors are different from mentors in that they are not friends or role models, but are allies. They help propel your career in a way mentors cannot.

"When it comes to powering your career up the corporate heights, you need a sponsor," writes Sylvia Ann Hewlett, founder and CEO of the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI) and the founder of Hewlett Consulting Partners LLC, for Harvard Business Review. "Sponsors may advise or steer you, but their chief role is to develop you as a leader … Not so much from like-mindedness or altruism, but because furthering your career helps further their career, organization or vision."

3. Collaborator

A collaborator is a person you can bounce your ideas off of who will listen and be open and honest without being overly critical. "A key foundational element of effective collaboration is building trust," according to Virgin Entrepreneur.

Collaborators have creative minds, are dependable and kind, have high standards they consistently stick to and do more than just the bare minimum. If you find someone who has these qualities, you will be in good hands.

4. Devil's advocate

"This role should be filled by someone who can 'cut to the chase' and expose any weaknesses in your career logic," according to Gottschalk.

Taking the role of devil's advocate is tricky because you want to maintain good relationships, but if no one challenges a not-so-good idea, then not saying anything is bad for your job and the company you work for.

Five ways you can play the devil's advocate constructively include "knowing when to play the part, listening, testing in real-life situations, staying positive and not beating a dead horse," according to Jennifer Winter, a writer for The Muse.

5. Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are people who have a variety of good qualities in one, great big package. They are generally good with people and good at sales.

Although they come from different backgrounds and cultures, successful entrepreneurs seem to share these attributes: determined, risk-taking, confident, eager for learning, understanding about failure, passionate, adaptable, understanding about money management, expert at networking and good at selling and promoting, according to Thomas Smale, a contributor to entrepreneur.com.

Surrounding yourself with these five key people will help you get moving on your own successful career path. Ready to take your career in a direction, or not sure what career path to take? KSL Jobs can help. Find thousand of jobs, from tech to healthcare, all in one place.

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