Optimal growth only happens under the right conditions. That's not to say we can't endure inhospitable and dismal conditions as well... but when we struggle for too long in the wrong environment, we certainly won't be able to reach the same level of potential. 

Think about science and nature. A petri dish is a controlled, nutrient-rich environment that promotes the growth of bacteria. The tropical rainforest is an oasis of organisms, and is teeming with plant and animal life. A sandy desert, or the arctic tundra are where most things go to die. Only the most resilient life forms can survive in those extremes.

There's a well-known author and motivational speaker named Jim Rohn, who once said, "You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with."

If we try to think of the people we associate with, the same way we think about our natural environment, then we can probably identify which ones are healthy and supportive for us, and which ones are unhealthy and negative. Rainforests? OR Deserts?

When I was a teenager in high school, my mother seemed to have a pretty keen sense of who I was hanging around with, and which of those groups of people were doing me more harm than good. "Maaark... You know I don't like you hanging around with that Billy kid." And she was right. That Billy kid was nothing but trouble! And when I hung around with him and his group of friends, their negative energies would rub off on me like wet paint. I was easily influenced by peer pressure and it wasn't long before I started doing things that went against my own values - simply to try to gain acceptance and popularity with the "cool kids". As attractive as those associations appeared to be to my teenage mind, deep down I knew they were bad for me. But luckily I had other associations too. A different circle of friends who seemed to value my friendship for who I was, and not just for what silly stunts I was willing to pull. They tended to bring out the best in me and stayed clear of the trouble that the other group seemed to revel in. I also had teachers and coaches who supported me and encouraged me to pursue healthy goals and challenges.

As teenagers, we tend to confuse these two types of environments or mistake one for the other in search of acceptance and validation. But as adults, we learn to recognize these two opposite types of associations in our lives more easily. We are better equipped to make the right choices about who we spend our time with and who we choose to give our attention to.

I'm thankful to have kept up with the same friends that I found in high school - the good ones of course - not that Billy kid! I'm also thankful to be surrounded by business partners, family members, and other mentors who continue to bring out the best in me. My writing habits led me to join a community of entrepreneurs and storytellers who have also contributed to my personal and professional growth. Even my kid's martial arts instructor has become an important influence on me - having helped me train for my many fitness challenges over the past year.

So why not surround yourselves with the types of people who will help make you better, rather than constantly wasting your precious energy fighting against those crabs in the bucket who seem hellbent on dragging you back down to their level?

Choose your friends wisely. Choose your business partners wisely. Choose your influencers, media, and messages wisely.

Influence is a product of immersion. So listen to your mother - and stay away from that Billy kid!!

Signing off...

Capt'n Mark