On my last post, I reacquainted myself with a few superpowers brought forward by being part of a tribe of good people. The environment created by the tribe conspired to bring these superpowers forward.
But before sharing in these group superpowers, what did I bring to the table? Surely I had to have a few superpowers of my own that contributed to the overall group?
I looked around and phew, happy to advice that I did possess some superpowers before joining the group, I was not just a passenger. Here are four that I brought to the party and believe me, I do have a few more up my sleeve. Really, I do!
Show Up – consistently, intently, thoughtfully, generously. Whenever we say we are going to do something, whether a goal, a practice, a group, a job, a cause we need to show up, consistently. That means all the time. And when we show up, we need to do this with intent and thoughtfulness. We do it with purpose and respect, not just going through the motions. Our generosity of thoughts, ideas, concepts, observations, evaluations and time will be a gift to our something.
Effort Equals Respect – this has to do with our intent and how we express this. It takes great effort to change things, to change ourselves, to move forward. And when we see this effort, we know we are embarking on a difficult and at times, lonely existence. But we are not alone. When we see this effort, we respect ourselves and others, because we know that to instil and implement change is hard labour. And this deserves our respect.
Do not “DNF” – DNF means “did not finish” and in one of my tribes (CrossFit), it is not good to see this after your name on the whiteboard. Here we are exclusively referring to stopping – to walk away from whatever it is we are doing and not finishing. Sure, at times there are reasons why we do not/cannot finish, but here we are looking at the deliberate choice we make to DNF. It really looks, smells, feels and tastes very different and you know it. We finish.
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Better than Yesterday – this quote/saying is attributed to so many but regardless who uttered these words first, they are powerful ones to heed. Our challenge and objective is to improve ourselves and what this means is personal for all. “Better than yesterday” captures this beautifully. There is no quantum, no specificity, no expectations. An adjective and a time. Sometimes, that is all we need to move forward.
Before joining my last tribe, I already had these four superpowers and this meant I was a contribution to the tribe. I certainly did not have all the questions and answers but I was trusted, reliable and relevant. And that is what tribes need.
Find these superpowers within you and share them with your tribe. You will all be better for it.
- Photo Credit: Marvel
Pretty Good Ash 