Everyone can get on the bus. There are always plenty of seats. The route is set, the schedule is posted, and the path is predictable. You get on, you go where everyone else is going, and you end up where most people end up.
A G-Wagon has limited seats.
I think about this as a way to think about the people you bring along on your journey and the people who want to come along for the ride without contributing to the destination.
The bus is full of people who support you when things are good, who cheer when the scoreboard is in your favor, and who disappear the moment you hit turbulence. They were never really invested in the drive — they were just along for the trip.
The people who earn a seat in the G-Wagon are different. They are not there for the destination. They are there for you. They show up when things are difficult, they tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear, and they put real skin in the game when you ask them to.
Not everyone deserves a seat at your table. Not everyone has earned access to your time, your energy, or your trust. And one of the most important skills you will ever develop as a professional and as a person is the ability to know the difference between the people who belong in your corner and the ones who are just looking for a comfortable ride.
Fill those limited seats with the right people, because the people around you will determine how far you go more than almost anything else.