Growing Pains

This is something no one talks about enough: losing friends.

There comes a point in life when your goals shift, and you start realizing that not everyone around you is on the same path.

Maybe you’re grinding harder, maybe you want more out of life, or maybe you’ve just started thinking bigger than you did before.

And guess what?

Not everyone is going to come along for the ride.

It’s not that your friends are bad people, or that you don’t care about them.

It’s just that your journeys are taking you in different directions.

When I graduated high school, I left behind almost all of my friends.

At first, it felt strange.

These were people I spent years with, people I had deep connections with.

But the reality hit me: we didn’t think the same anymore.

They had different goals, different priorities, and were content with a life that no longer matched mine.

One of my best friends and I were practically inseparable.

We’d talk business, plan our futures, and dream big.

But when the time came to take action, things changed.

I left university to pursue sales and business full-time, while he stayed behind.

He talked about wanting to leave, but never actually took the leap.

As time went on, I realized we were heading in completely different directions.

It wasn’t because he was a bad friend or that he lacked ambition—it’s just that our goals no longer aligned.

I couldn’t stay in that same space, surrounded by people who weren’t ready to take the same risks or put in the same effort.

And that’s the key point here: your environment matters.

If you’re surrounded by people who don’t push you, who drain your energy with negativity, or who just don’t share your vision, you’re holding yourself back.

I call them energy vampires—people who suck the life out of you without even realizing it. They’re the ones who sit in a room and constantly say they’re tired, they’re lazy, or they’re stuck.

That energy rubs off on you, whether you like it or not.

As an entrepreneur, I learned this the hard way.

For two years, I was grinding alone—no friends, no team, just me hustling.

And it was lonely, but it was necessary.

If you’re serious about reaching your goals, you have to be okay with being alone sometimes.

You’ll lose friends, and it will feel uncomfortable, but it’s part of the process.

There’s a saying I live by:

“You can’t fly with the eagles if you’re hanging out with turkeys.”

If you want to level up—whether it’s getting from $0 to $100K or scaling from $1M to $10M—you need to be around people who challenge you, who think bigger, and who are already where you want to be.

So, if you’re finding yourself outgrowing certain friends, that’s okay. It’s not a bad thing—it’s a sign of growth.

Each new phase of your life will bring new people who align with your goals.

And eventually, you’ll look back and realize that letting go was exactly what you needed.

If you feel like you’re in that spot right now, embrace it.

Don’t hold on to people who don’t help you grow.

And if you’re looking for a place to connect with like-minded individuals on the same path, you’re in the right place.

Stick around—you’re not alone on this journey.

Go Kill It Man
- JP