It’s been said that you become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Seth Godin says, “One of the most powerful of our survival mechanisms is to be part of a tribe, to contribute to (and take from) a group of like-minded people. We are drawn to leaders and to their ideas, and we can’t resist the rush of belonging and the thrill of the new.”
When We Lost Our Tribe
There were a few weeks early in the COVID-19 quarantine where I was nervous about what would happen to the gym if this continued. There were many different things that came up as potential problems — the most obvious being financial reasons, but also because I knew our clients needed each other. The power of the gym and our community extends far past our front door and four walls.
Peloton stock was skyrocketing; Beachbody and other on-demand programs were all the rage. People were prepping their garages with fitness equipment as if gyms would be a thing of the past. Even our Zoom classes were hitting 20-plus people per class.
Then another month came and went. And another. And another. And another.
We Needed The Tribe
Even though we’re already out of the pandemic lockdowns, people are more eager than they’ve ever been to look after themselves. Many small gyms, the ones that have limited members and can control who’s coming in their facilities are starting to grow again. People are looking to be around “their” people again — whether it’s their book club, religious gathering place, or the gym.
There’s a difference when you’re there in person. The buzz of the energy. The sounds of controlled chaos. Your friends pushing you when you thought you couldn’t run faster or couldn’t do another rep.
But then you did.
The Power Of The Tribe
You’ve missed the smiles that have been masked for months.
The world outside is seemingly falling apart, but in here, you miss the camaraderie of that tribe of people pulling for you to succeed. Workouts at 6AM don’t seem nearly as early when you are surrounded by your tribe. All the feels are not the same when you see your people through a computer screen.
There’s something incredibly special about a group of people that suffer and sweat together.
How Do Tribes Benefit Us?
Tribes of all kinds are important because:
- Life will have its difficult times. You will fail. You will make mistakes. You’ll want the support of a tribe.
- There will be things that you don’t want to do (but you need to do). You’re going to need people to believe in you more than you believe in yourself at those moments.
- There are people that care about what you have to say. You need to find them.
Go find yours. Environment is what we do best. Our tribe is always looking for new people to help. Come along with us. Book your FREE No Sweat Intro here to get started.
Inspiration provided by Brian Strump.