Building Relationships That Support Your Performance

Victoria Canham • 13 March 2025 • 3 min read

Victoria Canham Coaching: A focused mastermind group discussing strategies for career growth and success.

"The people we surround ourselves with should be people who understand life’s meaning, who are seeking it out, people who want to feel fulfilled, do good things, be role models because those people lift us up." - Brendon Burchard

They say you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. If that thought makes you pause, good, because the company you keep directly impacts your performance, success, and overall well-being.

High-performing professionals and business owners don’t just stumble upon great relationships. They curate them. They invest in them. And they know when to walk away from those that no longer serve them. If you’re serious about levelling up, you need to be just as intentional.

The Power of Your Inner Circle

Your inner circle isn’t just your friends or colleagues—it’s the people who influence your mindset, decisions, and ambitions. The right relationships challenge you to think bigger, hold you accountable, and provide the support you need when times get tough.

Ask yourself:

✳️ Do the people around me inspire and push me to be better?

✳️ Do they celebrate my wins and challenge my excuses?

✳️ Are they ambitious, driven, and committed to growth?

If not, it’s time for a relationship audit.

How to Build Relationships That Elevate You

1. Seek Out High Performers

Surround yourself with people who are already playing the game at a higher level than you. Their habits, mindset, and standards will naturally elevate yours. Find mentors, coaches, or peer groups that challenge you to grow.

Where to start:

✳️ Join industry-specific mastermind groups

✳️ Attend networking events with purpose

✳️ Engage with leaders in your field on LinkedIn and other platforms

2. Eliminate Energy Drainers

Not every relationship is meant to last forever. Some people drain your energy, feed your self-doubt, or keep you in old patterns. If you consistently feel exhausted or uninspired after spending time with someone, it might be time to create distance.

Signs of an energy drainer:

✳️ Constant negativity or complainingLack of ambition or drive

✳️ Unwillingness to support or celebrate your growth

Letting go doesn’t mean cutting people off dramatically—it means reallocating your time and energy towards relationships that align with your future, not just your past.

3. Invest in Meaningful Connections

Strong relationships don’t happen by accident; they require effort. Prioritise quality over quantity. Deep, meaningful relationships are far more valuable than a large network of surface-level contacts.

How to strengthen relationships:

✳️ Show up consistently (in business, friendships, and partnerships)

✳️ Offer value—support, insights, connections

✳️ Be vulnerable and open—real relationships are built on trust

✳️ Learn to listen without insisting on solutionising

4. Be the Kind of Person You Want to Attract

The best way to attract high-quality relationships? Become a high-quality person. Raise your own standards. Work on your mindset. Show up with integrity, discipline, and generosity. The right people will naturally gravitate towards you.

5. Leverage Professional Coaching and Peer Accountability

Even the best need external support (it’s not the low performers investing $1m per year in Tony Robbins programmes).

Investing in a coach or joining an accountability group ensures you stay on track and keep pushing your limits. High performers understand that surrounding themselves with the right people includes having mentors who can see blind spots and accelerate progress.

Final Thoughts

Your relationships are either helping you to move forward or holding you back.

✳️ Take control.

✳️ Audit your circle. Seek out ambitious, growth-minded individuals.

✳️ And most importantly, be intentional about the kind of relationships you nurture.

Want to work with someone who can help you build the right network, upgrade your mindset, and achieve next-level success? Let’s have a conversation. Book a call today.

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Victoria Canham - Your Performance Partner

Victoria is an ICF-accredited certified professional coach, who offers personalised performance coaching. With a background in change management and countless hours of professional coaching training and experience, I made the big switch to full-time coaching in 2020. I know what it is like to suddenly have the rug pulled out from under you while you're busy making other plans, as a result, I now help people like you to bounce back from adversity and major setbacks to emerge stronger and better than ever before. Our clients have transformed from feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges to confident, goal-driven individuals who navigate life's obstacles with ease. They've achieved their personal and professional objectives and embodied peak performance in all aspects of life. You too can experience this transformation. This is your moment. Your chance to take control, to choose growth over stagnation, achievement over inaction. This is your opportunity to prove to yourself that you're not defined by your challenges—you're defined by how you rise above them. Are you ready to transform your life and achieve peak performance?