Before technology made it easy to communicate with people around the globe in seconds, relationships were developed mostly based on circumstances. Your geography and the relationships of your parents primarily dictated who you spent your time with, not your ideals or fundamental beliefs.

Each person had a much smaller sample size of people to spend their time with. If they wanted to get into a certain field, they couldn’t pull advice from the best in the world–only the best in their general area.

Now, we each have access to anyone around the world in a matter of seconds. We can interact with the best in the world no matter where we’re located or where our family grew up.

Your closest network of people can exist scattered around the globe. You can build close-knit groups of people who share the same ideologies, beliefs, and practices without ever meeting them in person. You no longer have to build your network based on geography or preexisting circumstances. You build your network on based on the people who align most with your goals, ambitions, and beliefs.

If you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, then the possibilities are endless.