Bad Influences

As artists, the people we surround ourselves with quietly shape our habits, our confidence, and the ceilings we place on our own potential. There’s an old saying that you become the sum of the five people you spend the most time with, and in creative life that truth hits especially hard. Bad influences don’t always look negative on the surface—they can be comfortable, familiar, or even well-meaning—but if they normalize procrastination, cynicism, or fear, they slowly drain momentum. Over time, those voices become internal, and what started as outside noise turns into self-doubt, lowered standards, and stalled growth.

That’s why it’s vital to regularly audit your sphere of influence and ask an honest question: are the people around me pushing me forward or quietly holding me back? Growth sometimes requires distance, not out of anger or ego, but out of respect for the work and the life you’re trying to build. When you recognize influences that keep you stuck, learning to step away is an act of creative self-preservation. Choosing environments that challenge, inspire, and support forward motion isn’t selfish—it’s necessary if you want to evolve, take risks, and keep moving toward who you’re meant to become.