When we talk about growth, we usually talk about effort, discipline, showing up, but there is another factor that is just as important and often overlooked. Proximity, yes, that again.

If you've looked at trying to level up in almost any arena of your life, this is something that comes up early and often. Yet it is still somehow. The last thing we think about and even when we embrace it, it's something that needs to constantly be kept in. Check who you spend time with, shapes you, who you build with, defines how far and how fast you'll go.

It's not just about mentorship, although that matters. It's about the little day-to-day influences. It's about being around people who challenge you, stretch you, support you, and sometimes call you out when you need it. When I look back at the times I've grown the most, it wasn't just because I was working harder.

It was because I was working alongside people who made me better, people who asked better questions, people who believed in me a little more than I believed in myself. People who set the standard by the way they lived, not just what they said. When I look back at the times I felt stuck, frustrated, or stagnant, it was often because I was too isolated or worse because I was around people who were stuck themselves and I let their comfort zone become my own.

You can't always control every environment you're in, but you can be intentional about where you spend your energy. You can be intentional about who you learn from, who you collaborate with, and who you invite into your journey.

And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is step into new spaces, find a group that makes you uncomfortable because they're playing the game at a higher level. Reach out to the person who intimidates you a little because you respect their work that much. Choose friendships that push you to think bigger, not just feel safe.

Proximity shapes potential. Every time.

You might be one conversation away from a breakthrough, one new friendship away from a better standard. One collaboration away from the kind of momentum that you've been looking for, but you have to choose it. Proximity isn't passive. It's something you build. It's something you fight for.