In real estate, it is better to own the worst house on a great street as opposed to owning the best house on a bad street. You can always improve your house on the great street and your value will increase but no matter how much you do to the great house on the bad street, your value will never go up.
This is also true in life. I have learned that it is better to surround yourself with positive people who are where you want to be rather than with people who are negative and always going backwards.
Sometimes we need to raise our own standards, challenge ourselves and rise up to higher expectations!