Who’s in your circle?

We often talk about success as if it’s a solo journey. The “self‑made” entrepreneur, the lone visionary, the person who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. But the truth is simpler and far more powerful: nobody does it alone.

Every career is shaped by the people we surround ourselves with mentors, partners, colleagues, even clients and friends.

They all form what I call your ‘inner circle’ and the quality of that circle has a direct impact on the quality of your success.  What’s more, you can have several circles:

• Your career circle (mentors, peers, clients).
• Your personal circle (family, friends).
• Your growth circle (people who challenge your thinking).
• Your giving circle (those you mentor or support).

Circles aren’t static; they evolve. Sometimes we need to prune them, sometimes expand them, and sometimes step into someone else’s circle to lift them up.

Each one shapes you differently, and together they form the mosaic of your success.

I’d say the more interesting question is: how many circles are you part of?