Strength & Wisdom Journal part 11

How To Construct & Lead Your Tribe

This post is in response to The Essential Art of Tribal Leadership video that I created for Strength & Wisdom Tribe Members earlier this week.  It is also an intricate part of The 6 Strength & Wisdom Principles which are the foundation for my new book (that will be available in early July), “The Manifesto Of Strength”.

The 6 Strength & Wisdom Principles include: Strong Character, Strong Hands, Strong Heart, Strong Tribe, Strong Work and Strong Faith. I can’t wait to bring this book to you, it will bring great awareness to your REAL strength and begin your journey through Strong Legacy Training!

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Whether you realize it or not, you are a leader.  The very first part of your leadership role begins with leading yourself, followed by what I call your “Blood Tribe”, your “Walking Tribe” and your “Legacy Tribe”.

The Tribe of One (self leadership)

You hold the steering wheel of your life.  You cultivate and nourish the thoughts, take the actions, develop the habits, become the character and leave the legacy of YOUR choosing.

You are NOT a victim of your health, your sex, your race, your religion or socioeconomic position.  Each of these things are simply circumstances, they have absolutely no bearing on your RESPONSE to them.  The word RESPONS-ABLE, if examined from the correct perspective makes it clear that a responsible person is able to respond in a resourceful manner… no matter what the circumstances.

You must learn to be self objective, focused, committed, disciplined, honest and hold your own integrity to the highest standard if you are to realize your potential for personal leadership and ultimately fulfill your role as a Legacy Leader!

Your Blood Tribe

This is comprised of people who are the greatest expression of your energetic power.  They are either born of your blood or you have made a life long commitment of service to them.  This is your family.  Protect their bodies, but more importantly… protect their minds and integrity.

As the most direct extension of you and your character, it is imperative that you go to extensive lengths to see that they are fit.  They must have all of their physical, emotional and spiritual needs met.  Your values and your convictions will be reflected in your Blood Tribe.

My father used to express his commitment to me and my siblings by demonstrating how he would “cut off my right hand” for us.  This was a very crude assertion as to how much he loved us and realized that he is a living sacrifice to us.

By no means should you EVER put any of the tribal rings laying outside of your Blood Tribe ring, before them.  To serve your Walking Tribe through acts of service and volunteering, etc., while your Blood Tribe suffers due to lack of creative attention from you is sinful.

You’re first purpose after nurturing your Tribe Of One is to devote yourself fully to the growth and maturation of your Blood Tribe.

Your Walking Tribe

When you leave your home, when you contact people via the internet, when you go to work, when you go grocery shopping, you are encountering your Walking Tribe.  These are people who are watching and judging you.  Why? — because they are waiting for you to take the lead.  They want you to be their leader… everyone is looking for a leader.  We need examples of righteousness, goodness and integrity so that we can have faith in God, life and ourselves.

When your Walking Tribe sees you encourage a downtrodden co-worker who is having marital problems, they hold you high regard.  When your Walking Tribe recognizes that you choose not to partake in back-biting or gossip, they will hold you in higher.  When your Walking Tribe comes to you because they are looking for direction and support during a difficult time in their life, they are saying to you “I have been watching you, you are someone I can trust, please show me the way because I am lost.”

We are ALL lost, and we all look for leaders in different stages of our lives.  When we encounter someone who needs our support it is not because we are superior to them, its because God is asking you to SERVE them.  And in opposition of a good friend of mine in the Strength & Conditioning industry, I assert that we are to “Lead From Behind.”

When you have a very strong Tribe of One, when your strength is clearly reflected in your Blood Tribe, your strength will become very evident to those who may be in your Walking Tribe and you will attract a larger and larger Walking Tribe.  The better you serve, the more people (Tribe Members) you will be asked to serve.  This is a position of great, positive power.

Your Legacy Tribe

When you live a fully self actualized life, becoming the Best Version Of Yourself, your legacy will be a natural, positive extension of your character.  When you have built great internal strength through training The Tribe Of One, when you devote yourself to the life long service of your Blood Tribe and, stand as a living example while teaching and guiding those who you encounter on your Walk (Walking Tribe) your legacy is already written.

Why do you want a Strong Legacy Tribe?  Because well after the passing of your physical body, the positive OR negative effects of the thoughts you’ve harbored, actions you’ve taken, habits you’ve formed, character you’ve built and Tribes you’ve served will be felt for generations.

Your children will wear your crown but, as The Bible says, they may also “bear your sins.”

Your friends and others sent to you in order that you may serve them may alter the trajectory of their lives and transform what may have been a tragic and useless existence into a lasting and positive Legacy for them and the Tribe that they choose to serve.

You are planting seeds today, which will create the trees that your Blood Tribe will sit under or build their homes with.  The seeds from the fallen fruit of your tree, will plant more trees which will bear more fruit which will make more seeds and more trees!

With your life, are you creating a beautiful orchard or a baron wasteland?