Join Fellow Travelers
Be careful of the company you keep. The people you associate with have a powerful influence in your life.
“I'm not a teacher: only a fellow traveler of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead — ahead of myself as well as you.” — George Bernard Shaw
Be careful of the company you keep. The group of people you currently associate with — your tribe — may not be supportive of your aspirations.
Humans are highly social and tribal by nature. We are heavily influenced by the groups we associate with. For hundreds of thousands of years, the tribe has represented safety, power, strength and community.
Our need to be connected with others and to fulfill these ancient desires remains with us today. In many ways, the tribe is our identity. Any behavior that challenges it is unattractive.
So what do you do if your current tribe doesn't support you?
You change tribes. You find one with fellow travelers who value and support the person you aspire to be.
Since you cannot rely on serendipity alone for finding a new tribe, where do you start?
What was once unimaginable is now pedestrian. You are fortunate to live in an age where just about every tribe has a presence online. Start by seeking out like-minded people on topics of interest on social networks.
Just as one great idea leads to another, so too does one great person lead to another. People with the same aspirations tend to congregate. They are drawn to each other over time and space.
Once you find fellow travelers, enjoy the advice and resources they freely share. Engage them and their followers in conversation. If you are a little shy at first, that's okay. You will benefit initially by just watching, listening and following up on recommendations.
But don't wait too long to get involved. You can't interact if you don't say something. You aren't part of the new tribe until you engage in meaningful ways. If the tribe is a good fit for you, it will be supportive of your aspirations. It will be there for you when you need it most.
Find your tribe.