The People Who Shape Our Journey

No one has ever made it in show business entirely on their own—ever. Every success story is built on the helping hand or support of someone else. Our path is shaped not just by our talent, but by who we know, who we listen to, and who we spend the most time with.

— The friends we call friends either inspire us to be our best selves, or confine us to a version of ourselves that serves their needs.

— The colleagues we work with—whether in the studio, on stage, behind the camera, or in the office, either recognize our talents and encourage our work, or reinforce our deepest insecurities.

— The people we are related to either appreciate who we are today, and support us in whatever direction we chose to go, or assume they know what’s best for us, keeping us tethered to their vision of who we are.

In addition to our old friends, family friends, funny friends, and marginal friends we should always be on the lookout for these three extraordinary friends:

1) A friend who is wise, experienced, and grounded—someone to learn from, confide in, and seek guidance from.

2) A friend at a similar stage in their career/life—someone to share stories with, brainstorm ideas with, and share the creative journey.

3) A friend who looks to us for support—someone who reminds us of the power of selflessness, empathy, and generosity, especially with our time.

Important because the people we hang with the most are the ones who either raise or lower our standards.

Recycled from a blog I wrote in 2016