Where to put your standard

Yesterday, I talked with my friend who turned to me for advice about his life. He said that it was a mistake that he went to the faculty, because he doesn't feel motivated to be better at the field. On the other hand, he really put a lot of effort in dance, and his level is quite high. He is so much motivated dancing.
He said that there is no competitive and smart people around, because the faculty was not popular that people who choose the faculty as their not first choice, this in turn makes the class like the residual of people who lack willingness and competitiveness in the field. Due to that environment, he doesn't feel motivated like he was in high school. I pointed out that the standard is low so that this makes him feel well done in the field. This is why he lost passion. A year before, he was with motivated friends that he was also motivated, at this time the standard was high. Therefore, I suggested him to find new people who are outstanding. If that not possible, find from global perspective, such as facebook, watching online lecture from top-notch universities.
This story implicates that the standard is made by the environment where you are. And you misunderstand how well you do in the field. If you see the people from the global perspective, there are a lot of top-notch people in the world. Then naturally, the standard will become high because your passion and competitive feeling are challenged. I recall that when I watched online lecture from Stanford and Harvard, I saw the students there shining and that made me notice how far they are to a certain extent. So that my standard has become higher even if I do well in the school. Also, I found that people in the highest level, they still are motivated, and becomes better and better, meaning if you are in the A class, you will in the great circle of motivation. This explains why smart people becomes smarter.
The talk made me also realize that I've got to find more shining people from all over the world. A class people tend to work with people from A class to compete and stimulate each other, B class people tend to work with people from C class to make them think that they are good. Where am I? Am I working with A class people? Not enough, I will find more.