We are living in a world today that is more connected than ever before. We are connected through technology, social media, and many other platforms. Even though we are so incredibly connected today – loneliness and depression are at an all-time high. Do you know what’s truly crazy about social media? From the outside, looking in everyone’s life looks fantastic. On Facebook, people have thousands of friends but still feel that they have no one at all. Thousands of followers on Instagram. Thousands of connections on LinkedIn. Still, all alone. The one big truth that surrounds us today is when we’re going through difficult times, and specifically struggling with mental health issues – we start to pull back, we isolate, and we hide. We may have thousands of friends, thousands of followers, and thousands of connections – but we still feel alone in this world. We trap ourselves into the darkest corners of our minds. We start to believe that we are truly alone. No one in this world likes us. This world will be better without me. I am just a burden to my family. I am just an inconvenience to my friends. So we decide to walk away, sometimes for good. No more community. No more tribe.

What is a “Tribe”? Today the word tribe has become very popular with authors, influencers, on social media, and among the personal development leaders and communities. 

Here are some definitions from books out there like “TRIBE: On Homecoming and Belonging” by Sebastian Junger; or “Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us” by Seth Godin; or “A Tribe Called Bliss: Break Through Superficial Friendships, Create Real Connections, Reach Your Highest Potential” by Lori Harder; or “Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World” by Tim Ferriss. 

This list goes on and on.

According to these Authors – What is a “Tribe”?

Sebastian Junger quotes: “We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding–“tribes.” This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival.”

Seth Godin quotes: “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It’s our nature. 

Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more importantly, they’re enabling countless new tribes to be born – groups of ten or ten thousand or ten million who care about their iPhones, or a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming. And so the key question: Who is going to lead us?”

Lori Harder quotes: “Today, we live in an uber-connected era, where anyone is able to make thousands of friends and participate in their lives with the swipe of a finger. Why then, in such a connected time in history, do so many women feel disconnected, confined, misunderstood, defeated, or think that success is a solo project?

The benefits of having a tribe are undeniable. Women who have strong social circles are living longer, happier, healthier lives in comparison to those who lack connections and are exhausting themselves trying to quench external desires in isolation.”

Tim Ferriss quotes: “To find answers, I reached out to the most impressive world-class performers in the world, ranging from wunderkinds in their 20s to icons in their 70s and 80s. No stone was left unturned.This book contains their answers—practical and tactical advice from mentors who have found solutions. Whether you want to 10x your results, get unstuck, or reinvent yourself, someone else has traveled a similar path and taken notes.Tribe of Mentors, includes many of the people I grew up viewing as idols or demi-gods.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary – the word “Tribe” means the following:

:a social group comprising numerous families, clans, or generations together with slaves, dependents, or adopted strangers

: a political division of the Roman people originally representing one of the three original tribes of ancient Rome

: a group of persons having a common character, occupation, or interest

: a category of taxonomic classification ranking below a subfamily

also : a natural group irrespective of taxonomic rank

According to the New World Encyclopedia – the definition of a “Tribe” viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states, though some modern theorists hold that “contemporary” tribes can only be understood in terms of their relationship to states. The actual word, “tribe,” is of uncertain origin before the Roman usage. The “tri” part of tribe referred to three tribes or political ethnic divisions (Tities, Ramnes, and Luceres), in the ancient Roman state. The term is often loosely used to refer to any non-Western or indigenous society. Many anthropologists use the term to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups. In common understanding the word “tribe” is a social division within a traditional society consisting of a group of interlinked families or communities sharing a common culture and dialect. In the contemporary western mind the modern tribe is typically associated with a seat of traditional authority (tribal leader) with whom the representatives of external powers (the governing state or occupying government) interact. 

According to Wikipedia – in anthropology, a tribe is a human social group. 

I like the “Tribe” definition best out of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary that states the following: a group of persons having a common character, occupation, or interest 

The JerCraw definition for “Tribe” is a group of humans on planet earth that have alignment in beliefs, operating systems, good and positive vibes, and want to live the best possible life and version of themselves – and help others do the same.

So the truth is we all have a Tribe. Your Tribe is either moving you forward, closer to your dreams, or your Tribe is pulling you back in the wrong direction. You are either growing and going or just drifting along down the river of Status Quo. When struggling with mental health, the last thing you want to do is be around people. You go into hibernation. This is the worst thing you can do when fighting through depression. You must be close to your Tribe. In a constant community so you can change your state. If your Tribe is negative and it’s always raining in this camp, then you better get a new Tribe and FAST! Your life depends on it, literally.

Your Tribe will trigger Good or Bad. If you constantly have bad triggers with your Tribe – you need to upgrade that operating system. You might just need a Tribe Detox. We must be very intentional about the people we allow into our lives. Not everyone in your Tribe may be the issue or the trigger in a bad way. You know deep down inside how you feel when you’re with your Tribe. Your Tribe must bring out the best in you. There will be times when your Tribe will challenge you. Call you out on your bullshit – and that’s ok. We all need that. The worst thing you can do is have a Tribe full of “Yes People” around you. You need the ones that will get in your face about important issues and hold you accountable. Real lovers will do this. 

Your Tribe must have real, authentic lovers. People who are the real deal. People who truly love you, unconditionally. Let’s face it – we are all full of shit. So if anyone in your Tribe thinks their shit don’t stink – then “Houston we have a problem!”. In a world that is dominated by Fake News, Fake Content, Fake Posts with Fake Images with this filter and that filter, and Fake Videos with this effect and that effect – it’s just so hard to get to the Real. The Truth. We crave authentic real human connections. We want it so badly – but it’s like an endangered species. This connection is so hard to find. It’s a rare masterpiece. If you find it – never let it go! So as this book is about to hit your eyes and your ears, it’s almost the end of another year. The end of another decade. 

2019 is just a few weeks away from closing its doors. So what will you do about your Tribe in 2020? Do you have a Tribe? Do you have a Tribe – or are you in a Tribe? There is a big difference. If you are going to be a leader in your life, in your company, in your community – then you need to have a Tribe. Be the Tribe. Attract the Tribe. Build the Tribe. Maybe it’s time to TribeUp! In order to do this – you must get very specific. You need to dive deep into the core of who you are and where you are going. This must be defined with extreme precision. Until you lock into this specification – you will continue to get the same results as you did last year, and the year before, and the year before.

Everyone climbs the mountain of Life. We Slip, we Fall, we Start, we Stop. This year, this moment can be the moment you ink the deal with yourself for life. I Will Never Quit! I know I will Win, and I know I will Lose, but I Will Never Quit! So when you fall and fall again – get your ass back up and remember this, it’s time to Rise! 

#Rise #LevelUp #KeepClimbing #JustDoIt #LetsGo