Your Circle Determines Your Growth

If you’re a hip-hop fan, you probably know of Nipsey Hussle.

He wasn’t just a rapper and an ex-gangster… he was a philanthropist and a bit of a philosopher.

He had a mind that was full of deep thoughts and powerful insights.

In fact, one of my favorite quotes of all time is from him and it goes,

“If you look at the people in your circle and you don’t get inspired… you don’t have a circle, you have a cage.”

Now let’s unpack that a little bit.

By circle, he means your environment. Your closest friends, family members, and colleagues.

By cage, he means that you’re trapped. You will not grow. You can’t go anywhere. You’re stuck.

Now read it again for me…

“If you look at the people in your circle and you don’t get inspired… you don’t have a circle, you have a cage.”

POWERFUL.

It’s the most powerful quote I’ve personally ever heard regarding your environment’s control over your growth.

In fact, most people read this and get kind of nervous because they immediately see red flags in their lives.

They immediately realize they need to cut some people out of their lives’ if they want to grow.

I know I did.

But your environment goes WELL beyond the people in your circle…

So this quote should go well beyond that, too.

It should remind you that it also means you need to audit the places you go, things you watch and listen to, what you read, and even the things you subscribe to.

Your music, your shows, your books, your podcasts, your IG posts, your YouTube videos…

EVERYTHING YOU CONSUME.

EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

EVERYONE YOU ARE AROUND.

Your success is directly dictated by your environment.

That’s why they say you are the sum of 5 people closest to you.

That can be unbelievably empowering…

Or unbelievably destructive.

You decide.