Your income is the average of 5 people.
Choose them carefully.
Everyone's heard this. Few understand what it really means.
Let me show you.
My 5 people in 2022:
Friend 1: $25K/year (retail job)
Friend 2: $30K/year (freelancer)
Friend 3: $35K/year (side hustle)
Friend 4: $28K/year (gig work)
Friend 5: $32K/year (consultant)
Average: $30K
My income that year: $29K
My 5 people in 2024:
Person 1: $120K/year (founder)
Person 2: $200K/year (consultant)
Person 3: $150K/year (course creator)
Person 4: $180K/year (agency owner)
Person 5: $250K/year (entrepreneur)
Average: $180K
My income that year: $173K
Same skills. Same work ethic. Different proximity.
Here's what changed:
When everyone around you makes $30K your ceiling is $30K.
Your conversations are about surviving. Your problems are scarcity problems.
When everyone around you makes $180K your floor is $180K.
Your conversations are about scaling. Your problems are growth problems.
It's not about copying them.
It's about what becomes normal.
When $200K is normal in your circle it stops feeling impossible.
It's just what people do.
So here's the hard truth:
If you want to make more you need to be around people who make more.
Not to use them. To normalize it.
Join their communities. Attend their events. Be in their conversations.
Your income will rise to match your proximity.
Always.
Talk soon, Dyl - Founder of Relentlece.
P.S. Who are your 5? If they're not where you want to be, change your proximity.