Hero-in-the-Making

Where You Are

Right now you’re probably experiencing the challenges that come from not living or leading according to a clear vision for your life and community. You’re fighting an uphill battle that doesn’t seem to let up. Stressors for leaders in this stage can include things like:

• Drama, infighting, and unproductive politics within your team / community

• Little to no growth beyond your core community members

• Underdeveloped brand identity, which makes marketing difficult

• Feeling pulled in many directions; trying to please everyone to no avail

• Comparing yourself to others, overworking to live up to competing ideals of success

The modern business world tells us that systems and processes can manage these symptoms: a new workflow, a restructured budget, a marketing funnel. But you may have tried these things without results; maybe you even tried to try them, only to realize you’re stretched too thin to do much besides go through the motions and cross your fingers that something works. Soon.

This is an exhausting place to be. And yes, systems and processes could always be improved. But right now, you don’t need to look outside yourself for the next big solution; you need to do the interior work of digging out your most central ideals and articulating them in a way that makes you and those you’re responsible for accountable to a shared purpose outside yourselves. If you don’t do this, you will likely keep spinning your wheels until you burn out.

Where to Go

You are being called into a new stage of transformation. This is the stage of the archetypal Hero’s Journey where the hero must enter the cave, face his or her shadow, and come out reborn. Your heart is inviting you to discover and commit to the unique ideals that motivate you to live an extraordinary life.

Focus on the first Ring of Tribe-Building: “Tribes espouse a distinct and transcendent central belief system, which they codify in a manifesto and take risks to live out, even when it’s challenging.”

This first step is the most essential, because it’s the basis for every decision you’re going to make from here on out. Understanding your own deepest ideals and articulating them for your community is vital for any leader who wants to be followed. If you lead with this kind of vision, you’ll:

• Stop drama in its tracks, because everyone can rally around central goals

• Attract kindred spirits into membership, as they see you stand for something meaningful

• Stop wasting time, because you’re guided by your own vision (not others’ opinions)

Your first step is clear. Focus on writing your manifesto and practice taking risks for it. As you craft a manifesto, don’t look around, waiting for someone to tell you who to be or how to define success. You have memories and stories that reveal transcendent truths about human nature; your life and the lives of those around you will be transformed by these truths, so take courage and tap into them. If you want to learn how to do this on your own, take our Tribal Transformation, or go through a Core Beliefs session.

Look for opportunities to bring your life into greater alignment with your manifesto. Is the way you spend your evenings aligned with your core beliefs? Are the relationships you foster a reflection of your “Why”? What about your calendar, your desk decor, your budget? This is where it gets real. Living your personal convictions will draw people who align with your values towards you (and make those who don’t feel uncomfortable). This way of life is a pearl of great price: it is costly, but we believe the freedom and intimacy available on the other side is worth it.