I went to watch one of my friends in a boxing fight last night.

He's 19 and incredibly gifted.

He has been boxing for 4 months a few times a week, and he is already dropping pros in the gym and in the ring.

I met him when he was 16 through Jiu Jitsu, and he has always been so good without even trying.

He has a real shot at being a world destroyer, but he just doesn't stay consistent.

And I couldn't figure out why until last night.

See when he shows up to training, having not been in room for months, he is hard work for people who have been training consistently for 10 years.

He has so much skill, he just doesn't have the work ethic.

He'd rather go out and drink beers with his mates and waste his time.

My internal dialogue would say that he's 19 and he needs to have fun, but a talent like that shouldn't be wasted.

Now to the realization.

It was a boxing event where competitors from his rugby club would take on opponents from boxing gyms and other clubs.

I saw him in that room.

I saw how they looked at him.

I saw his presence.

He was the man.

Everybody loved him.

He has status.

But the only issue, the people he has status around get their status from being able to drink more than the others around them.

Wild nights they can't remember.

Being more hungover at work on Monday.

I now understand why during the off season of rugby, he'd come in and train more consistently, drink less and make huge growth in a matter of weeks.

Then when the season would start again, he'd backslide.

The purpose of this newsletter is not to bitch about my friend.

I have been in his shoes before.

I know how suffocating it is for any kind of growth.

I now know what he's surrounded by and will do everything I can do be a positive influence on him.

The purpose is to remind you to be aware of which room you're "the man" in.

Are you surrounded by people who are driven by ambition and personal growth?

Or are you surrounded by people who are happy to be in a pool of stagnation.

There's a lot of research showing that your willpower cannot overcome your surroundings.

You are a product of your environment.

Be ruthless with who you allow to influence you.