Influenced

(Proverbs 14:7 KJV)  Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

Hanging around with the wrong people can stunt your growth.  One problem is that you hear what they say and that is going to influence you in some way.  The longer you are with them the more they will influence you.  I don’t know if you have ever spent much time talking to a Jehovah’s Witness.  They seem to be really good people.  They are sincere and dedicated.  They are also wrong.  In my younger years I tried arguing with them and they had my head in knots very quickly.  It was necessary for me to “go from” (leave NASB) (1980) their “presence” (5048) in order to get my thinking back in order.  I needed time calling on the Lord and reading my Bible to get back to the truth instead of being influenced by the subtle lies being fed to me.

So?  Do the best you can when it comes to choosing your companions.  If you can’t do anything about where you work then it is even more important to find time to give the Lord a chance to rearrange your thinking.