Your Most Important Asset: Your Inner Circle
There’s a specific kind of quiet that settles over a house once your kids hit their late teens and early twenties. After years of being the primary “director” of their lives, handling everything from hockey and golf schedules to college applications, you suddenly find yourself with a bit more headspace. For me, that transition coincided with a health scare in the Fall of 2025. And as I sat in my office, after getting kicked out of ChatGPT for asking too many questions, it hit me: while I had spent weeks researching my health issues, I had completely overlooked how they might impact the people I choose to be in my life.
I’m talking about my personal “Board of Directors.”
In the corporate world, we know that a CEO is only as effective as the counsel they keep. A weak board leads to stagnant growth; a visionary board pushes the company to heights the CEO couldn’t reach alone. Yet, in our personal lives, we often let our “board” form by accident. We fill those seats with whoever happens to be convenient. The neighbor who is always free for a chat, the old colleague we’ve just stayed in touch with out of habit, or the friend who shares our frustrations and love for Nespresso but never our ambitions.
Transitioning through motherhood and entrepreneurship has taught me that “nice” isn’t a high enough bar for your inner sanctum. I’ve spent years being a creature of habit (I’ll take a familiar comfort over a risky unknown any day!), but I’ve learned that the wrong inner circle is like an invisible anchor. They aren’t trying to hold you back; they just don’t have the map for where you’re going.
Whether you are navigating raising toddlers, the “empty nest” transition, or scaling a multi-million dollar venture, the stakes are the same. You need people who speak the language of your future, not just your past. It’s about more than just avoiding “toxic” energy; it’s about the intentional recruitment of people who make you feel a little bit “uncomfortable” in the best way possible. It’s about seeking out the kind of relationship discomfort that signals growth.
As I look at the year ahead, I’m realizing that my 2026 goals aren’t just about what I do, but who I listen to. It’s time to move beyond accidental friendships and toward a curated circle that reflects the boss, leader, wife, mother, and friend I am continuing to become and nurture those connections.
Auditing Your Inner Circle: A CEO is only as good as their “board of directors.”
This month, I am challenging myself (and you!) to evaluate the people who occupy the most space in your life. It’s an invitation to intentionally curate your social circle for the year ahead to ensure it aligns with your 2026 goals.
Get Started With The “Board Seat” Audit:
- The Visionary Mentor: Do you have someone in your ear who has already been where you want to go? This person should make your “big” goals feel normal and attainable.
- The Strategic Peer: Who is in the trenches with you? You need someone who understands the current landscape of your industry or life stage and can offer real-time feedback.
- The Radical Truth-Teller: This is the person who loves you enough to tell you when you’re playing small or when your ego is getting in the way of your progress.
- The High-Octane Cheerleader: Not just a “yes” person, but someone who genuinely celebrates your wins without an ounce of comparison or jealousy.
- The Legacy Anchor: These are the people (often our older children or spouses) who remind us why we are doing all of this in the first place.
Take a look at your recent texts and calendar invites. If your “board” is lacking a certain expertise or if a seat is being held by someone who drains your battery, it’s okay to make a change. Re-curating your circle isn’t about being cold; it’s about being the responsible CEO of your own life.
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