KEEPING A SMALL CIRCLE BY CAMERON MOGK

For me, my creativity is heavily influenced by who surround myself with. Common friends are valuable and I love them but my circle is a little different. Since first grade, I’ve had the same three friends that push me in many different ways, all of which work in harmony to create my perfect creative setting. We all went to different universities and continue to speak every day.

From left to right: Ian, Zack, Joey and me on the right. Each one of these boys has killer leadership qualities that push and allow me to be creative. Ian is the king of Encouraging the Heart and Encouraging Others to Act. Zack is what I like to call a “ride-or-die”, always for the cause and continuously Inspiring Shared Visions. Lastly, Joey. The king of Challenging the Process. Joey also has a way of finding something to argue about I say.

What’s the point? I keep my circle small for one reason: trust. Over the last few months, I’ve found out that I struggle most with being a creative person when I’m around people I don’t trust.

Why these chumps? These guys know me better than anyone and have stellar leadership qualities and because of that, push me to places no one else can.

Takeaway? Have lots of friends but keep a small circle. Make sure the people you’re letting push you are pushing you in the right direction. Someone to tell you you’re an idiot and laugh it off with you. Someone who’s not there for you once you fail but beside you while you both fail.

Once you find those people…creativity gets a whole lot easier.