One of the most powerful influences on your future is what you’re exposed to. This includes where you live, the people you spend time with, the media and writing you consume, and everything else that enters your awareness each day.
When you surround yourself with things that don’t support your goals, you set yourself up for an unwinnable game. No matter how much willpower or discipline you think you have, constantly fighting your environment saps energy that could otherwise be channeled into what you’re meant to do.
The single greatest factor shaping your exposure is where you live. If you want to start a tech company, move to a place where other entrepreneurs are doing the same. If you want to break into the music industry, move to a city where artists, labels, and aspiring talent all converge. Being in these environments creates serendipity: lucky connections, fresh ideas, intriguing events, and everyday inspiration. It’s far more difficult to achieve success when your surroundings don’t foster the path you’re on.
Ultimately, exposure is the input to your mind—and without great inputs, you can’t produce great outputs. Think about it: are the things you are exposured to right now truly serving the dream you want to make real? If the answer is no, there's only one thing to do: move.