The Power of Community

As I return home from a weekend of intense and profound connection within a tribe of water brothers, I am struck by the absolute truth of the power of a community.

Within most Western society, emphasis is placed upon the uniqueness of the individual.  Every individual person is beautiful, unique, special and powerful in their own right, but it is time to stop going it alone and to start working together.  By working together, we can create the circumstances that we most desire.

I am guilty of this in many respects – it can be difficult for me to ask for help, to lean on others for support and to share my ideas before I’m ready to. Yet in every instance where I am able to clear that hurdle and share my visions, I find support and energy much greater than my own.

Community Has An Exponential Effect

When you work within a community, even just two or three people, the impact is not an additive result. Your power and impact is magnified exponentially. Instead of the energy of two or three, you find yourself in the presence of the power of four to nine times greater.

Communities Create Movements

A one person movement is that person patting themselves on the back. To create real change and affect people on a real scale, it is necessary to have the support of a community.  Only then will you be able to create a movement.

Communities Foster Creativity

When you lead a community or a movement, you are no longer in charge of the result. While giving up this sense of control and influence seems counter intuitive, the results speak for themselves. Let the community laugh and love and play together, and they will create something beyond your wildest dreams.

Leadership is not control – it is vision. Share your vision, and let the creativity within the community blossom organically.

Community Creates Credibility

Standing alone is challenging and ineffective. Without a community to support you, you need degrees, accolades and verifiable experience to have credibility. Within a community, you only need a first follower – someone to say, “I trust and support this person’s vision.” Once you have found your first follower, you will have found credibility, regardless of what you look like on paper.

Community Gives Strength

Outside of a community, the weight rests on your shoulders. Within a tribe, you the weight of leadership, vision, production and world changing rests within the community. If you are having a difficult time, there is strength and support to get you through the rough patch. Everything does not depend on you, and you can depend on the members of the tribe to support you. Communities tend to get things done because the burden of creation do not rest on one person alone.

Communities Are Fun

All work and no play makes Jonathan a dull boy. I’m pretty sure if you’re serious 100% of the time, you’re on your way to becoming dull. Exist in a community, and you have the opportunity to work and to play. Laugh, have fun, celebrate, play games and enjoy life. Fun and play give energy and passion to the movement that you are creating.

Communities Teach

A community is built of individuals, each who will have separate skills and gifts. When you share a passion and are part of a community, you suddenly find yourself teaching and being taught. You will learn whether you expected to or not. The beauty is that the more you learn and grow, the more you are able to give back.

This Is Not About You

I don’t care if you are the leader of the community or not – the community is not about you. Let me repeat:

It is not. About. You.

Communities are created out of shared vision and belief. The focus of a healthy community will remain in working toward that vision. If you let your ego get in the way, you’ll be derailing or destroying a beautiful instance of collaboration and co-creation.

Join a Community That You Believe In

Chances are, you probably belong to a few communities already – your friends, your family, your work or perhaps your church. These are wonderful places to foster a community.

Changing the world requires you to step outside of the communities that you were born into, and join or create the community that you are called to be a part of; the one that you resonate with and believe in.

The rewards are immeasurable – the connections you will create, the change you can affect and the memories you will create are worth stepping outside of your comfort zone.

Do it for you. Do it for the planet. Do it for the future. Be a part of a community.

Which communities do you love to be a part of?

Photo by meddygarnet