Last night, I went to a comedy show featuring Colin Jost and a handful of other Saturday Night Live cast members doing stand-up. It was exactly what you'd expect - funny, light, a little chaotic. We had a great time. But the part that stuck with me most wasn't even a joke.

Towards the end, Colin opened it up for questions. A lot of people lobbed in setups that led to crowd work or another bit, but one person asked something different. They said their daughter wanted to write for SNL and asked for his advice.

Colin paused for a moment, then said something that really resonated with me:

"Surround yourself with people who are just as passionate about the craft as you are. Find good people. Find people who make you better. Find people who challenge you."

A simple thing that landed with me.

It's easy to nod along to the cliché: “don't surround yourself with bad people.” Sure, that makes sense. But this was sharper than that. It wasn't about avoiding negative people - it was about seeking out the ones who bring out your best. The ones who push you. The ones who aren't just clocking in and waiting for life to start after work, but who are fully in it, giving it everything.

Looking back, I've been in environments where the people were skilled and good at what they did, but the passion wasn't really there. And you can feel that. It's steady, it's fine, but it doesn't light a fire under you. Compare that to being around people who genuinely care, who push, who challenge, it's a totally different energy. That kind of environment makes you sharper and work harder, whether you realize it or not.

Cheers.