243: Your Tribe – Friday Fundamentals

Your Tribe

You might not realize it, but you belong to a tribe. In fact, you probably belong to multiple tribes. In early mankind’s history, man survived only with the support of a tribe. It took a significant amount of work to raise a child, care and protect for that child, feed and clothe it, just to the age that he or she could reproduce.  This is ingrained in who we are today. We, as people, are social beings largely due to this fact. We form families today for this very reason. The family is the basic support structure of our society. It’s our modern-day tribe. As we grow up, we create and join other tribes. From church to school, sports, politics, careers, and many other organizations, we seek out and sometimes even create new tribes.

A tribe, by definition, is a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader.

In today’s society, we have many different forms of tribes. Your tribe could be your college alumni association, a professional organization related to your career, a local running club, a meetup group, your church small group, your family, a tight-knit group of friends, your workout class, or a number of other things. Tribes are an ebb and flow dynamic, constantly changing. Whatever that tribe is, understand that it has a purpose and is made up of a certain type of people. Not all tribes are created equal. Some tribes are made up of positive influences, while others are made up of not so positive influences.

Your tribe impacts your life much more than you may realize, so it’s important to be cognizant of how you are spending your time. As Jim Rohn said, you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

Being Intentional

Sometimes we select tribes, and other times tribes select us. Being intentional about who is in your tribe has an impact on your future. Tribes can challenge your perspectives, shape your ideas, and subconsciously affect the way you think, which will, in turn, affect the things you do, the life you live and so much more. Let’s explore a few things to look for in a potential tribe and how to find or create one.

  1. Look for people who are doing what you want to do. This is the best way to get to where you want to be. These people will likely be a few steps ahead of you, and thus you will be able to learn from them. Remember, the best way to grow is to get out of your own comfort zone so this may be intimidating at first.
  2. You might not know of anyone who is doing what you’re interested in. A great way to find and meet new groups of people is Meetup.com. You can find hundreds if not thousands, of meetup groups in your community across a broad range of subjects. Seek out a meetup group, and if one doesn’t exist then create one!
  3. Bring value to your tribe. Tribes are made up of mutually beneficial relationships, each person bringing something to the group. Your perspective alone can be valuable to others.

Tribes are an important part of our society, our development, and continued success. Finding the right tribe can change the trajectory of your future.

Get Started

A common mistake some people make is trying to accomplish things alone. While it can be done, you will likely find more success with a group of like-minded people who share the same vision. With a group of people who do not share the same vision, you might be dragged down or in the opposite direction from where you are trying to go. Find your tribe, build relationships with people who you enjoy being around, and you’ll look back one day at all of the things you accomplished with the support of that tribe.