Pursue Great

Or, be careful who you hang out with

When I bought my first real camera in 2006, my best friend at the time (a fellow photographer) gave me an invaluable piece of advice: good art begets good art. She told me to study the masters, because filling my brain with the best of the best, I would train my eyes to see beauty in real life before even picking up a camera.

Guess what? She's absolutely right... and not just about creativity, either. It's the science of influence. The neurons in our brain actually sync with those of our closest friends, and the more time with spend with those friends, the more "synced" we become. That idea that each of us is the sum of the people we surround ourselves with? It's a scientific fact.

Good begets good. Great begets great.

This idea is profound, because it gives us agency— we can choose who we surround ourselves with, we can choose the ideas we entertain and the thoughts we pursue, we can choose the books we read and the movies & shows we watch, we can choose who we follow on social media.

Want to grow in leadership? Surround yourself with leaders. Want to grow in kindness? Surround yourself with kind people. Want to grow in diversity? Surround yourself with a diverse group of friends. Want to grow in business acumen? Surround yourself with keen, quick business owners.

Want to become great? Pursue great.

So here's some homework— take a hard look at who (and what) you're allowing to influence you. Let's start with social media. What voices are you allowing in your head? Use Marie Kondo's method and ask, "Does this [person, idea, influence, etc] spark joy? Or do they cause a negative response?" Go through and unfollow anyone who induces guilt, causes comparison, or makes you feel small. Remember, the goal is greatness. Give yourself permission to cull your influences, and then give yourself the freedom to grow!