Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of work, writing, and running. It’s cooler these days so I’m wearing more layers when I’m running. But enough about that. Today I want to talk about finding your tribe.
Photo credit: slgckgc on Visualhunt.com
There are key elements to finding your tribe. Your tribe should be composed of people who want you to succeed, who support you independent of their own ambitions. This is an important aspect of your community.
Sometimes what happens in a tribe is it becomes toxic. It turns into a social hierarchy of manipulation and control. For example, one or two people want to be in control or deemed the authority in the group. So, when a member of the tribe threatens that perceived authority or status of that figure, the authority figure becomes competitive and undermines the perceived threat. This creates a triangulation effect.
This triangulation effect traps the people in it in a game of comparison and competitiveness. It’s not fun, and it does not stimulate creative growth. The members are trapped in a cycle of ego massaging and maintaining their status in the group. Instead of dealing with professional insecurities, it eases them, so the members don’t grow into their full potential.
If a creative finds themselves ensnared in this type of dynamic, they should try to disengage politely and set firm boundaries. Then find tribe members who will push them to grow in their craft. If the author or artist doesn’t, they’ll be ensnared in an unhealthy triangle of comparison and competition that isn’t healthy for anyone.
Stepping away from this type of dynamic will help the writer to focus on honing their craft instead of focusing on maintaining a social position or undermining perceived threats in the group. So, when a writer or artist is in a group, they need to watch the dynamics carefully to make sure this dynamic doesn’t rear its ugly head.
How about you? Have you ever been in a group where the dynamic turned sour and your craft became stagnant? How did you get out of your rut? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you.
