#Tribes Day 14 – So why do it?
Day 14 of Tribes – a Group Blogging Project and I am already challenged. I probably would not have gone to 27dinner last night which in essence is a Tribe itself. Last night was a dyno jump for me; jumping out of my shell and meeting and networking with new people who share a similar passion in technology and media as I do.
Today we head into a journey about taking a risk, taking a leap of Faith; but that been the strongest thread throughout the book so far – it has been for me.
‘Leap of Faith’; attributed to Søren Kierkegaard. Funny? Close your eyes and leap? I think not; there is still a lot of intellect and reason that goes into such an act. As it was for Chris Sharma who most likely practiced with a mattress first – for many times, and for Carey Hart who performed the first ever Freestyle Motocross BackFlip. In both cases they trusted themselves, had faith in themselves, but essentially only took that Leap of Faith after much thought and practice. But this is not completely about the act as it is about being consistent in the vision. Both Carey and Chris persisted in their vision to the point where their vision was accepted by their tribe or their vision caused the creation of a tribe.
… one person with a persistent vision can make change happen, …
But my question is why do it? Why take the so called Leap of Faith, why put in all the effort and intellect into taking the risk?
Maybe it is for something you believe in, a principle, a problem that you would like to see addressed, or an outcome that you want to achieve. Either one; you would need to have a belief or faith in your vision.
Seth says that it is suicidal to be a leader, to act like a heretic without faith. Most definitely insane; continually doing the same thing but expecting a different result
(sounds like the definition for religion?). A heretic needs faith that what he/she persists in will bring about the result being strived for.
I can’t help but think of the churches out there that have really gone against the grain; against what was supposed to be the tried-tested-true methods, churches like lifechurch.tv that had to make huge amounts of effort and monetary investment get off the ground. They must have had a huge amount of faith, yet not faith alone – persistence.
So here are a few challenges:
- Are you stuck in an insane way of doing things that you should leap out of?
- Is there something that you believe in yet do not persist in for fear of failure?
- Is there a heretic that you are resisting that you should be following?
[Rock Climbing Photo by *strider*]
[BackFlip Photo by jurvetson]
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Why do it? Maybe they just wanted to be famous! Other than that, belief in a vision is a good motive. Not sure what to say about the challenges though. Still thinking about them.
I liked your question: Is there a heretic that you are resisting that you should be following?
It really challenges you to think about WHY you are resisting.
I like it: you HAVE to be consistent (and persistent) in your vision. If you start, and a tribe begins to develop, but then you decide it’s too much and leave, that tribe will fall apart. Most people today can tell when a person is trying to sell them something that the seller doesn’t believe in. How can we expect to garner followers and create a tribe if we don’t believe in ourselves and in the idea that we are persisting in?
I have a tendency to not act in leadership when I am somewhere that I feel that there is a better leader present or someone else could do it better. Whether that leader is right or wrong, if they act confident and competent I have a tendency to sit back. This is probably a bad idea; if they start going somewhere that won’t work, maybe I’m the only one that realizes it, but I’m also the schmuck who won’t say anything. I have to be willing at all times to allow my voice to be heard.
There’s a few interesting points there:
How many leaders are stuck in a position where they know that they should leave – it’s the right thing to do – but they feel they need to keep the tribe together. Then the tribes slowly dies as they realize that the leader no longer has that persistence of vision or faith in what he/she is doing. The tribe falls apart in an unhealthy manner whereas a leader that recognizes the issue and deals with it; passing on the torch or taking a new direction, is better.
and I sometimes sit back when I think someone else can do it better – hell, who am I fooling – I always sit back. It is bad; a complacent heretic is the most uncomfortable oxymoron; he he he.
one person with a persistent vision can make change happen, … love this quote in bold. Oh boy here a copy an paste from Phillip’s comment above How many leaders are stuck in a position where they know that they should leave – it’s the right thing to do – but they feel they need to keep the tribe together. Then the tribes slowly dies as they realize that the leader no longer has that persistence of vision or faith in what he/she is doing….
Just pray for me the Lord has given me a vision for social media & the coffee company it just keeps growing keeping me on my knees which is good! May I be found faithful right/write where I am as I WAIT Patiently for the Lord to reveal the next steps in this vision. I don’t have any trouble being a heretic…only have trouble being a patient one as I wait for others to catch the vision that I’ve been given. If not me then WHO? I have some very big sit-down’s coming up with leadership. Trusting and taking a leap of Faith is what it requires “eyes wide Open”
I think I have cyclical patterns of “stuckness” and then productive leadership. Then I get stuck again. This sometimes drives me insane and I wish there was someway I could get out of it. But I don’t know if we ever do? Maybe?!?
I like things to be linear and seamless, but in the way of the tribe there is probably more rough patches or unknown variables in the mix. I’ve see Chris Sharma stuff on youtube and the guy is sick. But even with all his experience, he still faces the danger of falling. So maybe, we do still face (depending on how daring/intense our vision is) the chance we will be dashed on the rocks below. But we need to talk ourselves out of that fear and find more power in the leap than in the idea of the fall.
just tried to comment. spent 15 minutes writing then… #FAIL!
Sorry, caught me in a son bathing and supper hour
For me the most notable concept of this section was “The Plurality Myth.” A lot of the time I feel like I need to be able to convince a majority of people to join my movement. I feel like if I ask someone to join me and they say “no” that that’s a failure. That creates pressure to appeal to people, pressure to water down the message, or pressure to offer incentives to join me.
A better way to go is just to lay out your vision as clearly as possible and then let the chips fall where they may. The people with whom it resonates will join you. The people with whom it doesn’t, won’t. I don’t need a majority of people to join my movement, I just need a small number of people who passionately share my vision for the future and want to work to make it happen.
I was reading a book on prayer the other day and it suggested that the reason that God allows trouble in our lives is so we will be forced to pray. Taking leaps of faith are similar if we can already do it then it is not a leap of faith. If we are stepping out beyond then we will be forced to prayer and dependence on God. Exactly where we should be.
Phillip,
Thanks. This was a thoughtful post with good questions. I feel like a heretic that is still working on a following. It gets hard sometimes to remain persistent after the ideas that make you a heretic. Sometimes I feel like I need to give up and follow someone else, but God doesn’t seem to let go of me in that regard. It’s awkward.
Mike…
I really enjoyed that, I think sometimes we get so caught up in our own decisions that we forget our place in the tribe and the impact that we have.
Thanks for the reminder that i am part of something bigger.
Fee
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I would not follow a person whole goal was just to be famous – I might be drawn to someone because they are famous but a bad motive like that will prove to be a major FAIL because it contradicts and apposes the egos of the tribe – how can they have the same shared interest if it is about making the ‘leader’ famous. That leader will fail.
I think it was James Dobson who once spoke about the ups and downs of life and that it was cyclical – I don’t think that one could very productive if you were always trying to be productive – sometimes you need a break. Maybe this is true with being a leader, being a heretic. That there is a case for a break without loosing momentum so that when you come back you come back refreshed and eager.
This sometimes works for me in programming.
yes – if you are brave enough to be honest about the fact that you are resisting
Boy, it’s hard to get back with the program after being gone for several days. I’ve been keeping up with reading.
Mike — I’m with you. I, too, often feel like just giving up. What’s the purpose of being a heretic if no one listens? Or, if they listen, don’t care?
Then someone comes along, asks the right question and off I go – being heretical again. God won’t let me leave. I can only pray that this time that someone will not just listen, but hear.
That brings me to what really stood out in today’s reading, “Great leaders don’t try to please everyone.”
In one way or another we all want to please others. But, if we are take that leap of faith, we will ruffle a few feathers. In fact, some people won’t like us because of it.
We must first please God, then please those we love, then ourselves. Anyone else we please becomes our tribe.