Don’t forget that everything you deal with is only one thing and nothing else. And don’t forget the language of omens. And, above all, don’t forget to follow your destiny through to its conclusion.  (Paulo Coelho,The Alchemist page 32)

As I browse some of the bestselling books of all time, titles such as…

• The Alchemist (my personal favorite, quoted throughout this post)
• Lord of the Rings
• The Bible
• The Purpose Driven Life

… remind me of mankind’s obsession with purpose and significance.

I think back to my own childhood obsessions:

• Sportscards Collecting (sports heroes)
• Superhero Comic Books

Intertwined within these hobbies were my own desire as a child to stand out and be something that matters in the world.

The central theme of my first publication, “The Tribe Builder’s Manifesto“, is following the spark within you to respond to what you are meant to do in the world.

And it is this obsession that has me captivated… paralyzed, rather, as of recent.

I must warn you before you proceed that I have nothing to offer in terms of answers in this post. This is not meant to contain practical lessons that will help you in finding, building or engaging your TRIBE.

I am simply raising questions that may or may not find their way to practical use in my life or yours in some way. Feel free to raise your own questions or attempt to answer these questions in community here (in a loving and useful way down in the comments section below).

If anything comes of this post, I hope it is that by sharing these questions, we can come to our own individual realizations that we are not alone in our search. That by asking these questions together, we stand as a TRIBE facing the mysteries of the universe together.

Do You Believe in Omens?

Let’s cut through the language barriers. These words will feel differently to each of you: omens, signs, open doors, closed doors, leading, calling, wooing, God’s Will, true will, premonition, prophecy, voice of God.

There are others, I am sure. My intention is not to necessarily group all these together and say they all mean the same thing. And don’t worry, I’m not going off the deep end and getting all “religious” on you (I am as agnostic as one gets, full of questions, and bankrupt of practical answers).

The word group above is my best attempt to transcend belief systems, religions, doctrines, and world views, and to try to place us onto an even playing field for a conversation. Feel free to replace the words I use with your word of choice from the group above. With that said… I ask again…

Do You Believe in Omens?

Is there something spiritual out there guiding us, whispering to us, pulling us, pushing us, persuading us, romancing us?

Paulo Coelho paints a beautiful story of a boy who sets out on the greatest journey of his life with no set agenda or set of directions, maps, etc. in The Alchemist. He knows what he seeks — his treasure — but he doesn’t know where or how to find it. His means of navigation? The Omens.

There are signs that pop up at various and significant points of his journey that essentially insert a choice into his path. They are always peculiar, timely and interesting.

I’ve experienced serendipitous moments like this that seem almost laughable. There is this instant link you feel to the spiritual, supernatural source responsible for the moment’s creation. But is there a responsible source or is this a trick of the mind?

I was recently in one of those dark spots in life where it felt like everything was caving in, with no hope in sight. I jumped in the car for a drive to get some fresh air and perspective. I found myself just crying it out, releasing the tension and negative energies. I was cursing God, angry at the place I was in, and wondering where He was in all that I was feeling. In the midst of my pain, something happened…

The phone rang.

The caller ID was all I needed to see. I didn’t pickup. I wasn’t ready for a conversation.

But… if there was one person in my entire long list of contacts on my phone that would represent the epitome of the existence of a God, it was this one. The nature of our relationship, this particular person’s gift and role in the world, just everything about them. It was a gut instinct; a feeling that reached beyond coincidence.

I didn’t have to pickup in that moment to know, to feel, to hear… the omen. The sign that declared loud and clear, “I’m Here.”

How could this person have possibly known to call me at that exact moment in my life? Most likely, they didn’t. It just so happened that every circumstance, action, and choice in their own life, brought them to their own moment that caused them to dial my number. Two completely separate lives brought together in an unexplained collision of spiritual energy.

I hear and understand the atheistic and the technical scientific explanation of this moment. I get it. I’ve wanted to land with those conclusions myself for a long time. Don’t you? Wouldn’t it be easier to allow the confines and limitations of what we know about science to peacefully bring rest and conclusion to it all?

What about my wife and the two lives we created together?

Can I accept the fact that we met due to a series of chain reaction scientific events? Or was there something bigger, more mysterious at work?

There was a very specific and memorable crossroads decision that arose when I was 19 years old. I received 2 job offers on the same day. One was 30 miles from my house, an hour commute through traffic. The other was 1 mile from my house, and they offered me $1 more per hour. Guess which one I chose?

Obviously. The job with the longer commute and lower pay! Why?!

Was there an energy or supernatural force drawing me to choose the way I did in that moment? Perhaps.

I use words like “gut instinct” to describe what I felt. If I didn’t follow my intuition and “walk through the door” that I did, I never would have met my wife, and our two beautiful children would not have been possible. I also enjoyed a 9-year career with that company that provided a solid foundation and experiential education for my future.

If there was something at work in all of this, how can we explain it?  The things we call energy, “spirituality”, and mysteries in our world… isn’t this all just science we have yet to explore and put names to? (or are just starting to scratch the surface of with quantum physics, etc.) Will my great-great grandchildren read this post, and laugh to themselves having all the right words, technical definitions, and scientific understandings to explain the mysteries we experience?

What if the Omens are Real?

In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left you. (Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist page 30)

What if our answers lie somewhere between a big guy in the sky orchestrating the puppet strings, and the impersonality of mathematical randomness and logic?

What if?

I have a hard time landing on either of these poles, if they can be described as polar opposites. I would have to land somewhere in between. And if that’s the case, then I must accept meaning, because neither of these extremes offer meaning. I must accept a universal intention… a motive that brings events and moments of the universe together.

Meaning. Purpose. These things lead to massive responsibility in our own lives. That’s not such a bad thing, is it? Isn’t this what drives us to create? To offer our strength to the world? To allow our stories to intersect the stories around us and live in community and love?

What is your typical response to the Omen? How do you make decisions in life when you are standing at a crossroads? Where do you think it all leads? Please leave a comment below (and be respectful of others’ beliefs in the words you use).

In his pursuit of the dream, he was being constantly subjected to tests of his persistence and courage. So he could not be hasty, nor impatient. If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.” (The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho)

He was wildly successful.

This is the story of Mike Allebach, owner of Allebach Photography, and his all new BRANDSMASH, captured in the form of an interview.

I engaged Mike in 6 questions about his experience creating and building a massive niche market that didn’t exist before. Mike is making himself available right here in the comments section of this post to continue the conversation, so you can ask your own questions. So please ask away!

This is a great opportunity to learn from one of the best and most energetic TRIBE builders out there right now.

1. How did you find your niche? Did you accidentally stumble into it or what’s the story leading up to the specialty you took on with your art?

Looking back it looks like there was a common thread that connected everything but when it was happening it didn’t feel that way. I was in a punk rock band for four years and was doing wedding photography for two years before the both collided. When I started I didn’t see a single photographer anywhere showing off Tattooed Brides. It was like if you are a woman with tattoos and you want to get married, you’ll either have to cover up your tattoos or not get married.

I didn’t set out to change the industry but along side of a few alternative wedding websites, we showed the world that its awesome to have tattoos and get married. You don’t need to hide who you are.

My deepest passion is bringing people from the outside in.

I think tribes form when people say there is no group for me, I don’t fit the mold.  (click to tweet)

I’m not fit for the other groups and I want something that people like me will fit into. The funny thing is can never be a member of my group per say. I will never be a “tattooed bride” as I’m a male but I saw something that was missing and by photographing women with tattoos in wedding dresses. I feel like I was able to create something beautiful and inclusive.

2. What did your start look like? Did you have people ringing your phone off the hook from day 1 for bookings or what was the process of going from start to overbooked?

My start of photographing Tattooed Brides was just an experiment. I wanted to photograph a heavily tattooed woman in a wedding dress. I had no idea that other people would have any interest in it. I had no idea that at the same time I was doing this, two blogs were launching around the same concept. Weddings blogs for women who didn’t fit the mold of traditional weddings.

I called up an old friend who I walked home from high school with. I asked her if I could photograph her in a wedding dress in exchange for eventually photographing her wedding at no cost. She said yes and the tattooed wedding photographer was born.

Since then we’ve averaged 200-300 inquires a year but since I was still working full time as a Marketing & Creative Director I could only accept 20 weddings a year. That means that 280 couples a year didn’t get to book with us.

3. How have you used the internet to build your business, community and attract new friends and customers?

In the beginning I focused on SEO. Basically creating good articles and talking about what my couples would be searching for. It worked. I don’t have as much time to spend on creating content so I mostly focus on connected with my fans on Facebook. I average 5 posts or question a day. At the peak of one of our campaigns I was posting around 50 new photos, posts & questions a day and getting seen by almost 2 million unique facebook visitors. We are currently up to over 15,000 fans. Engagement with your friends, customers, niche bloggers, and followers matters. I have found that sharing my story through photos, video & engagement has made people raving fans. When I let my personality shine through, when I don’t edit myself, people pay attention. They might not agree with everything I say but they are paying attention.

4. At what point do you feel like your community became a self-propelling fuel, where you were getting a lot of referrals, word of mouth, publicity, etc.? Any specific steps you took to get to this tipping point?

There were two things that became the tipping point. We got in on the ground floor of the alternative wedding market. I was the first wedding photographer in the world to offer a discount to tattooed brides. I partnered with two blogs that started around the same time as I switched to more alternative weddings. Through sharing photos with them and paying for some advertising, we built a huge following. For facebook, I think more engagement comes after you hit 1,000 fans and then again at 5,000 fans and 15,000 fans.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for small business owners to engage with their customers, fans & bloggers in their industry. These people become your sales people!

5. What advice would you have for someone who has had an idea for a while about a new business or a world changing movement, but has had a lot of trouble starting?

First thing I would do is sit down and share your story with people. People are looking for people to believe in. If you are passionate about what you want to do people may think you are crazy but they probably also will want to see you succeed. They may even try and talk you out of doing it but that is only because they have a feel of failure themselves. I love the saying “balls to the wall”

I also want to recommend redefining success with this in mind. What would I like to see myself having done in 10 years?

Chances are what makes you happy and what you want to do has very little to do with actual money. Money is just a tool to get there. If you don’t know your kids after 10 years and they hate you because you ignored them. That is failure. Being broke ass isn’t failure if you get to go out and do what you love and spend time with people you love. I think the start of a good business is living a good story. If your life isn’t making a good story than everything else is crap. Of course your family will have to make sacrifices, friends will see you less, money will get tight. Life will get hard. But the story will get better. People get jealous of other people who get to do what they love.

Reset your meaning of success, live a great story, give away as much as you can and realize that there are only two ways to get ahead in life: using people and connecting with people. I hope you choose that later.

6. How is your tribe currently changing the world? OR What potential does your tribe have to make a difference in the world?

I’d like to think of my life as a campfire. Let’s bring as many people around and say, “you are welcome to be here, now let’s hear your story.”

Maybe the Tattooed Bride thing helped do that for many brides who felt oppressed by the industry. I hope so.

Have fun tribe building!

(and please scroll down and ask me any question in the comments section!)

Have you had success in building your own niche?  If so, get in touch with Jason via email if you are interested in being featured on TRIBE.LY.

Please check out Mike Allebach’s TRIBES at these links:

Photography:

http://www.allebachphotography.com

Marketing:

http://www.facebook.com/BrandSmash

http://www.brandsmasher.com/

Imagine life in a 120 square foot house. 2 people and a cat.

That’s not a typo… not 1,200… 120 square feet.  (60 square feet per person)

My family and I recently downsized our home pretty drastically for simplicity and location reasons here in Asheville, NC. Embarrassingly though, in comparison, we’re at about 290 more square feet per person than the new friends I met at a blogger society meetup.

Laura and Matt set out on a quest 3 years ago to change their lives drastically, and now it’s reality. And they are not alone in their journey.

Thousands of others around the world are uniting through a TRIBE called The Tiny House Movement, and they are changing lives and the worlds around them.

Tiny House Living isn’t for all of us, but there are some world-changing principles that I think most of us could appreciate and apply to our lives and TRIBES. I will highlight some great life and TRIBE building principles that really impressed me about this movement.

The Key to Happiness is Within Reach – Simplify!

Happiness has been a pretty big deal this past decade. Since 9/11, I believe that there was a global shift in aligning our priorities and thinking about what really matters in life. Stemming out of these thoughts became a whole science dedicated to discovering what makes us happy.

I’ve followed this shift closely, being someone who’s struggled with depression on and off throughout my life. And I’ve learned so much. My life, and personal happiness meter looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago. One of the universal truths about happiness I’ve picked up along the way? Simplicity.

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.
- Henry David Thoreau

You’ve seen the blogs, books and lifestyles all pointing toward minimalism, a simpler way of life. Less stuff = Less to worry about = Less to distract us = More emphasis on people over things = Big Happiness Contributor.  It’s a beautiful principle.

I just had a conversation last evening with a woman who moved into a 3,000 square foot townhouse. Her biggest complaint/concern/stress about her beautiful new space? Take a guess.

Furnishing it.

There is so much space and rooms that she doesn’t have enough furniture to make it feel less empty. As this problem gnaws at her, I know exactly where it leads… she will be driven to buy more furniture… spend more money for stuff that really isn’t necessary. How many tables, chairs, couches, wall hangings, shelves, storage units, space fillers do we really need? Have we become slaves to these unnecessary things, working to earn money to fill empty space?

Contrast this conversation with another I had with my new friends Laura and Matt, who blog at 120squarefeet.com. The stress of needing to fill space, and accumulate stuff is non-existent in their lives. In fact, since the physical limitations of their home won’t allow for anything but necessities, they’ve been able to free their minds from what would typically be stresses over furniture and stuff to fill the house with.

Freedom. Isn’t that what we all ultimately desire?

Can purging the unnecessary in our lives contribute toward freedom within our hearts, minds, souls?

The Tiny House Movement could quite possibly be onto something that many of us are missing… Simplicity.

Do Your Relationships Take Second Place to Your Stuff?

Most people I enter into a conversation about this are quick to react defensively on this.

This is a conversation about priorities, and most people don’t like to be challenged in that way.

Rather than pointing out this weakness in others, I’ll jump in headfirst and tell you how I struggle with this (I don’t believe I am alone)…

• I catch myself drifting toward my smartphone or tablet in the middle of opportunities for real family connection
• It’s easier to immerse myself in entertainment than enter into real conversations that will nurture a relationship
• The amount of time I spend working is an effort to increase income which feeds a lifestyle of things and luxuries
• Relationships are unpredictable, messy, scary, hard to face at times — I tend to look for escape routes

Now before you judge and write me off as a selfish bastard, please know that I love my wife and my kids with all of my heart. I love to connect with others and participate in community and friendship. What I outlined above are tendencies that I have to battle against. I don’t always give in to these tendencies, but I sometimes do. This is the battle many of us face when it comes to prioritization in life, determining what is truly most important.

There is a fascinating element that I picked up on as I was talking with Laura and Matt, that I probably never would have considered as a benefit of Tiny House living until I actually tried it myself. They see their 120-square feet as a perfect excuse to live life outside of the house, so they can get to know their neighbors, invest in community and building relationships in their area. We met at a blogger society meetup, so they were clearly committed to breaking out of the 4 walls we all call our homes, and intentionally investing in relationships with like-minded people.

There is something very fulfilling about a night out with friends in person (meeting new ones or hanging out with old ones – doesn’t matter). There is an exchange of energy, an intersection of story, and a place where we can share life together on this planet. Sure, there’s great ways to connect with people online, and I am obviously a big proponent of relationships and engagement online. But the energy is different. When we can look into someone’s eyes and share conversation face to face, there is a deeper connection, a transparency, vulnerability and beauty that you can’t transfer online.

Outside is Healthier Than Inside

Let’s face it. We are a vitamin D deprived society.

We don’t get enough sunshine. We live in boxes, sheltering ourselves from the sun, the earth, and the benefits our planet generously offers us.

The great people living in tiny houses are a step ahead of most of society in connecting with the planet. Their homes are not restricted to the small living space constructed by the 4 walls and roof of their houses. Their homes are the earth. Many of the tiny house pictures I looked at online are surrounded by natural beauty. There are woods, gardens, fields, ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, wildlife, blue skies, grey skies surrounding these dwellings.

I had an opportunity to visit Walden Pond this summer. You may be familiar with Henry David Thoreau’s legacy masterpiece book, “Walden”. It was at this very spot just outside of Boston where Thoreau lived while he was writing this book. His lifestyle of choice? A Tiny House. 150 square feet. The location has been marked off and maintained by a historical society, and now you can walk around the very pond where Thoreau spent several years of his life contemplating philosophical questions and breaking away from societal norms. Many people choose to leave something of value on an alter by the location of the tiny house, a sacrifice of sorts to connect even if just briefly to the idea that we were meant for more than the accumulation of stuff.

As I reflected on my walk around the pond (which actually felt more like a lake to me in size), I just soaked in the natural beauty of the area. I imagined waking up to a life on the pond where I would connect with the earth, and find sustenance and provision in nature itself. This life would not be one of moving from box to box, from home to car, from car to work, etc. It would be a free, independent existence outside. The small house? A place to sleep, find shelter for the storms, but not a place to dwell and waste away for long in.

One of the big reasons for our move to Asheville for this season in our lives was to open up opportunities for exploration of the natural world. To live outside more, and develop new habits that would involve sunshine, nature, woods, mountains, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, wildlife and more.

The natural world is everywhere too — it doesn’t necessarily require a move to find it, but it can be fun, if you have the ability to be nomadic and explore some of the best parts (like Western North Carolina! or the Rockies, Pacific Northwest, New England Coast — just a few of my favorites). Sometimes the creek or willow tree in our back yard, or the river at the park, are our best and closest opportunities to get outside and breathe in some beauty and fresh air.

So, figure out how to life more of your life outside, with or without big travel or move plans!

How Valuable is Your Time?

The greatest opportunity you have to change the world exists within your schedule. How will you use your limited time with the life you have? Time is the one resource that we will all run out of someday. None of us know exactly how much of it we have left. And so, this begs the question, how are you using your time?

Are you using time to feed the disease of accumulation?
Are you using time to maintain and manage all of the stuff you’ve already accumulated?

OR

Are you using time to invest in the lives of others?

One of the greatest benefits of simplifying your life, and cutting off the enslavement to societal norms and materialistic ideals, is a liberation of your soul. By freeing up space in your heart and head through the shedding of layers of pressure, stress, and unhappiness, you experience an intense internal joy. And it demands that you share it. Share it by activating your gifts, your strengths, your story, by living fully alive with purpose.

This is actually where the greatest TRIBES are built. It’s in this place that you find the real you.

When you are free to be 100% you, watch out because this is when you can harness the power to change the world.

My friends Matt and Laura have freed themselves and their time enough that they can invest in world changing projects. They have spent time and resources working with orphanages in Africa. Their passion to end poverty and suffering for children has brought them to a place to activate their gifts in very real ways that will leave an incredible legacy and impact on our world. This is beautiful.

This opportunity might not exist if they were still trapped in the “American Dream” (nightmare). If they had to work two full time jobs to afford the big house, two new cars, furnishings, stuff, etc.

As I look at my budget, and the checks going out, I think of the faces of those in the world that I have the potential to impact. Where are my most valuable resources including my time going? Matt and Laura see the faces of these young, impoverished African children. What a beautiful investment of resources and energy. What an incredible way to change lives, and turn our world upside down.

The Tiny House Movement leaves me with much to reflect on and consider. It leaves me with much to take action on. For that, thank you Matt and Laura, and the entire Tiny House TRIBE. Keep changing the world in big ways through tiny things. I love it.

Please visit http://www.120squarefeet.com to read more about Matt and Laura’s Tiny House adventures. And consider making a small (or big) donation to these great people and worthy cause with their Indie Gogo Project at http://www.indiegogo.com/savetheelement

Have a TRIBE that’s making a difference in the world that you would like me to feature on TRIBE.LY?  Email me!

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

Millions are spent every year by those on a quest for the answer.

The holy grail of the internet. The ultimate career path. Full Time online… it just sounds so perfect. Right?

How can you earn a full time income with a TRIBE that you build online? That is the question.

The paths are as numerous as stars in the sky. But, often, the challenges are the same. Hurdling these obstacles early on will set you on the right path toward full time earning potential with your TRIBE.

The framework unveiled in this post is a byproduct of years of earning a full time income online for myself, and participating as a student and affiliate partner for some of the top income earners online.

I hate to use the word shortcut, because this is hard work, and I don’t believe in “getting rich quick online”. There really are no “cutting corners” type of shortcuts, but we can always learn from others who have walked before us and save ourselves from imminent failure.

Through the insight contained inside this framework, you can absolutely, without a doubt avoid months, possibly years worth of mistakes in building a viable TRIBE and business online that can provide your full time income.

It’s worth sharing… your friends will love you for it. It’s just that good. You can help spread the word by checking out any of the Click to Tweet buttons below and the social share buttons on the left.

Earn Full Time Income Without Compromising Who You Are

I actually constructed this for my own benefit. You see, I’ve been immersed in affiliate marketing for 3 years now, promoting a lot of other great TRIBES and products online. I drive traffic to other people’s offers, and get paid an affiliate commission. Affiliate marketing is not a bad way to earn a living, and many folks do beyond well for themselves.

However, over time I recognized a deeper calling within myself. I was tired of being a “behind the scenes” guy, strictly focused on numbers, stats, traffic, conversion rates and technology trends (just because you are good at something, doesn’t mean you love it). In all honesty with myself, I’ve been compromising who I am. I’ve cheated the world in not offering my full self in all of my strengths just as I am.

Just as I am.

Just as you are.

You can be fully you. Your story. Your strengths. Your TRIBE.

No compromise necessary.

That’s where TRIBE.LY was born for me, and where your TRIBE will be born for you.

If you’ve read “The Tribe Builder’s Manifesto” or any of my previous blog posts at TRIBE.LY, you know that I have a deep concern for helping others to find their strengths and gifts and tell their story so they can use them in the fullest capacity to change the world. You are the reason TRIBE.LY was born. This framework is me taking the next steps with TRIBE.LY so that I can reach more people like yourself and spending more time doing what I love and do best.

Earning a full time income by building a TRIBE and being you is the most fulfilling non-career ever.  (click to Tweet)

In the words of my good friend and coach, Jonathan Mead, you can be “Paid to Exist“. No compromise necessary.

4 Steps to Earn a Full Time Income with a TRIBE Online

SHOP

I’m not talking about hopping over to Amazon or heading out to your local mall.

SHOP is the easy to remember acronym for the framework that will help you open shop in 4 steps, and get your business launched online in an income producing way.

SHOP stands for:

Click to Tweet the Image/Infographic

Step 1: Start.

If you spend a lot of time reading, learning, surfing, and absorbing other people’s content online, but you haven’t started building your own TRIBE, this step is for you… LISTEN UP!

STOP waiting for permission.

STOP waiting for all of the stars to align and conditions in your life to be perfect.

STOP procrastinating.

STOP watching and worrying about everyone else.

STOP allowing fear to rule your life.

START.

Click to Tweet this Quote

Damn, it, reach down deep, and activate that spark inside that’s waiting to come alive within you. Let the flame burn, and just fucking start. No more excuses. No more delays. Today. Right now.

START building your list.

START narrowing your focus.

START communicating with supreme clarity about what you do.

START providing value to your TRIBE.

START driving traffic.

START telling your story.

START offering your strengths.

START getting paid to be you.

Just START.

Step 2: Habit Development

Reading Assignment. Grab a copy of Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit”.

The first 93 pages will blow your mind and set you into action. Read it tonight.

There is no overnight success.  Full time income comes as a result of hard work, perseverance, and most of all development of effective habits.

What you invest your time into GROWS.

Little or no time invested = Little or no growth.

So, what does habit consist of?  According to “The Power of Habit” and many years and case studies worth of research and neuroscience, a habit is comprised of 3 primary components.  (with one extra bonus ingredient to really make it stick)

1. Cue – an event that prompts or triggers the start of a routine.
2. Routine – the learned or programmed response to the cue, that eventually becomes second nature
3. Reward – Something positive that happens as a result of doing the routine. It is a required expectation that a habit needs to take root.

In order to develop brand new habits, let’s map out the routines we know will take our businesses to the next level.

Things like…

• Writing blog content
• Developing information products
• Connecting On and Building Social Platforms
• Nurturing Partnerships
• Analyzing/Measuring Metrics and Progress
• Marketing Adjustments + Improvements
• Communicating With our TRIBES

Since every business is different, these routines will vary, but what is most important is determining the most important routines that you will need to develop into habits to ensure they never fall through the cracks.

Now, start thinking about cues that will trigger these routines. Cues can be things like a schedule, alarm/notification, your environment, completion of another activity or habit like eating a meal, waking up, or working out.

Similarly, come up with a consistent way to reward yourself for the routine. This can be anything from a feeling or sense of accomplishment, to placing a check mark on a calendar or task list. Or, you can reward yourself more tangibly with a physical treat, break time, or time allocated for entertainment/fun.

Whatever you decide, map out a habit plan and stick with it consistently.  DO NOT CHANGE anything for a while so that each set of cues, routines and rewards has a chance to become engrained within you as a habit.

The Special Sauce Habit BONUS

BELIEF

If you want the habit to stick, you must believe in yourself and in the habit’s ability to lead you toward your goals. Remind yourself daily of the vision for your TRIBE and the big reasons WHY you desire that vision. Make “habits of belief” a big part of your day.

Click to Tweet this Quote

Step 3: Open the Cash Register

Have you ever walked into a brand new store that had a bunch of great, free stuff on the racks and shelves, but had absolutely nothing for sale? No cash register. No payment processing. No exchanges or bartering, just nothing.

I didn’t think so.

This is the mistake most people make, especially the TRIBE builders and bloggers. You MUST stop treating this like a hobby, game, or experiment. If you are serious about building a TRIBE with tremendous impact and reach, this cannot just be a social club or cool place to hang out.

You MUST start treating your TRIBE, website, and blog like a business.

Open your shop. Open the cash register.

Want to cover overhead, and be profitable so that you can remain in business and get paid to be in business? Your true fans will respect that. In fact, I’ve seen several cases of fans demanding it (Pat Flynn, Derek Halpern for example). That’s what makes a TRIBE so powerful. You are offering your story, your strengths, your self. In return, your raving fans and followers want to pay you for premium value that you continue to offer them. (click to tweet)

Opening the cash register online with a TRIBE usually means having digital information products, coaching or consulting packages, live event workshops,  or branded tangible goods like clothing, etc.

Assignment: Plan and Outline a Legacy Product for your TRIBE.

What product could you bring to the TRIBE that would offer long term value, engagement, community, and solve some of their biggest questions and challenges?  A product you could spend the rest of your life supporting, growing, improving, tweaking, and pouring yourself into?

Plan and starting outlining the core components of a legacy product that would not only align well with your strengths and story, but that your TRIBE would be in love with too. As you begin development and planning on this, talk to your TRIBE about it. Survey them, ask them what they want more than anything else.

Your TRIBE will tell you exactly what they want you to sell to them — you just have to ask.

Step 4: Promote + Partner

I’m sure its happened to you, or you’ve heard stories about it happening to people you know. A website is built, looks great, ready to do big things online. Only one problem. The world doesn’t know about it. Very few are visiting. Its difficult to find it.

There are 2 ways to fix this.

1. Promote by buying traffic
   If you’ve got some money to invest, you can buy traffic from Facebook, Google, Bing, Yahoo, and thousands of other advertising venues online. Whatever you do, start with small tests, and scale when you have something that’s working well. (and be sure to drive your traffic to an effective squeeze page focused on converting your visitors to opt-in TRIBE members)
2. Partner and get referral traffic
   If you don’t have a lot of money to invest in paid traffic, then see how you can offer value to some of the already existing TRIBES within your niche, or in niches that share the same target audience. Propose a guest post that would add value to their blog, or discuss the possibilities of a joint venture where their promoting of your product would result in affiliate commissions for them. Don’t be shy! Most people that work online are thrilled to connect, especially when you come from the angle of wanting to help, using your gifts in some way.

Click to Tweet this Image

Spinning your wheels focused internally within your own TRIBE can be exhausting and frustrating. It can be very difficult to work really hard to launch a project, and then not have the audience you were hoping for.

Plan on focusing most of your time on promotions and partnerships, especially early on (after you are open for business). You cannot expect your TRIBE to stumble in and find you. You have to go find them, and start your relationship by offering them value right where they are at.

The Income Framework is Only the Beginning

This framework is only scratching the surface of many exciting adventures building TRIBES online. If you were able to gain some new insight or have questions about how some of this applies to your specific situation, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below! I personally monitor and respond to comments here, so let’s make this a conversation!

If you’d like to make sure you don’t miss out on more valuable content being published on TRIBE.LY, be sure to register as a TRIBE member below, and I’ll hook you up with a free download link to “The Tribe Builder’s Manifesto”, an eBook that will surely light a spark within you to get started changing the world with TRIBES.

Get Your Free eBook Now

Enter your name and email address below now for instant access to The Tribe Builder’s Manifesto: Spark a Movement, Change the World.

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Enjoy your reading and get ready to soar!

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

Featured Image Design Credit:
Design by Jeff Sheldon. I bought the T-Shirt of this design from UgMonk. Check out Jeff’s TRIBE and incredible design work at http://thegreatdiscontent.com/jeff-sheldon

Affiliate Links contained in article above. (yes, I open the cash register here at TRIBE.LY, I hope you do the same!)

The 2012 Presidential Election results will likely be determined by…

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney’s…

Squeeze Pages!

Shocking?  Not really.  You’ve probably heard the term, “The money is in the list”.  We all know political elections are now won with money.  So, I’m just going to put 2 and 2 together here, go out on a limb, and say the guy with the bigger list wins.

Now I realize there are a lot of other factors… the Illuminati, backdoor corporate deals, dirty politics and such.  But, ultimately the guy that does a better job with marketing will win.  There is more money being spent on the marketing portion of this election than any other internet marketing campaign in history.  And so, for TRIBE builders like us, we are like the star high school quarterback watching the Super Bowl and taking notes.

Talk about the power and influence to change the world!  Whoever wins this cage match marketing battle will likely make hundreds of world-changing decisions on a daily basis for the next 4 years.  World history in the making… and the squeeze pages are front and center, as pivotal marketing pieces to these campaign engines.

I wish I was a fly on the wall when the campaign teams on both sides were making critical decisions on design, layout, color schemes, buttons, photos, text, branding, and ultimately working to build the highest converting squeeze page possible.  Check them out (in NO particular order, I swear!):

Barack Obama’s Squeeze Page

(as of 8/15/12)

Mitt Romney’s Squeeze Page

(as of 8/15/12)

Things to Love About the Presidential Candidate Squeeze Pages

Now, I’ve got to give these guys props.  I actually don’t like either candidate very much politically speaking, but I love certain aspects of both of their squeeze pages.  Here are a few of the commonalities that I appreciate.

1. Narrow Focus — Right to the point, Forcing a Decision to take action.
2. Clean Minimalist Designs — Not cluttered, not too noisy, only 3 options available for visitors – opt-in, continue to website, or leave
3. 2 Field Opt-in — Email and Zip Code, only asking for the 2 Most critical pieces of data for their campaigns.

Now, let’s take a look at a few things individually, both positive and negative.   (this is a non-partisan neutral analysis of the marketing elements of the squeeze page, I promise!)

Obama’s Squeeze Page – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Positives

1. Modern Design –  Obama’s design team is relevant and cool.  They do a really nice job with color schemes, layout, and overall look/feel.
2. The Button  — “I’m In!” — nice move playing on people’s desire to belong to the TRIBE.  That’s gotta be a conversion boost.
3. Urgency — “Now that we know… It’s Time”.  Drawing the line in the sand and forcing the decision, NOW.

Negatives

1. Negativity – Why so negative, Obama?  For a guy that ran on “reaching across the isle, no more partisan politics”, your squeeze page is on the attack.  Name-calling and everything.
2. Focus on the Competition? — why is Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan getting mug shot space on your page?
3. Where’s the social proof?  Obama’s got to have a ridiculous size list at this point.  Show people how big the Obama TRIBE is!  It will compel visitors to join so they don’t feel left out.
4. No logo, no branding – The Obama campaign has spent so much time here blasting the other team, that they forgot the branding elements that they knocked out of the park in 2008.  (I discovered the small logo below the fold after the fact — bad placement)
5. No offer?  — What’s in it for me as a visitor?  What can I expect for opting in?  I’m sharing information with you in exchange for… ________________

Mitt Romney’s Squeeze Page – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Positives

1. Social Proof – displays # of Facebook Likes and an image that includes a crowd of people – Very Nice!  (although you’re going to need more then 4.2 million fans before November),
2. Exudes Patriotism — typical Republican play, but it’s done tastefully and powerfully here.  Navy Ship, Color Scheme, “America’s Comeback Team!”, a crowd of people in the image.  (I suppose depending who you ask, this could be argued as negative)
3. Logo and Branding – high and central in plain sight.  A picture of yourself.
4. Opt-in Form Placement – top right has always proven to convert the highest time and time again in split tests.

Negatives

1. “Old School” Design — It looks like a site designed in 2008/2009.  Need to step up the relevant/cool factor.
2. Button – Get Started?  That’s the best you could come up with?  What exactly are we Getting Started on?  (maybe it split tested well, not sure)
3. The Offer –  What do I get for signing up?  What can I expect?  Give me something interesting, like an inside look at the family life of Mitt Romney or a PDF on how Mitt Romney made his money.  Or if he truly wants to attract the undecideds, entice us with a video on the “Top 10 Reasons Why Liberals and Independents Will Love Mitt Romney in the White House”.

Lessons to Be Learned From the Presidential Candidates Squeeze Pages

We can certainly conclude that neither of these candidates are perfect (yet) with their Squeeze Pages.  I fully expect to see some revisions and alternate versions pop up over the coming weeks and months leading up to election time.  Nonetheless, I am also quite positive that these pages are getting the job done, and that both candidates are building massive lists to fuel their campaigns.

The zip code collection is really interesting to me, as they’ve taken a page out of the music industry here.  Bands have been gathering emails and zip codes in exchange for new music, so they can see exactly where their fan base is.  This helps to map out tour stops, concerts/festivals, etc. so they can be sure to be as profitable as possible on the road.  For the political candidates, I am sure this provides a wealth of information about areas to be concerned about, areas in need of additional campaigning, promotion, and more.  It also equips them with the ability to selectively segment their list for email broadcasts.

There are some fantastic things Obama and/or Romney have put on display for us to replicate…

• Minimalism
• Short Forms
• Relevant Design
• Narrowly Focused
• Opt-in or Continue
• Social Proof
• Logos and Branding
• A Call to Join the TRIBE

There are also things that one or both have missed that I think we can do a better job with in our businesses and world changing movements…

• The Offer
• Setting Expectations
• Staying Positive

Which one of these aspects will you change about your squeeze page today?  Let us know in the comments below.  Some of you posted links to your squeeze pages on our Part 1 post in the series.  Go back, revisit those links and do your own critique based on the elements I reviewed here.

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

Image Source: 1

No more delays, excuses, or procrastination.  Tune in closely, because we’re going to walk through, in a highly interactive way, the art and science of launching The Ultimate Squeeze Page.

I know what you’re thinking… Technical stuff? Mechanics? Systems? Tools?

No worries.  We’re going to make this fun, easy to follow along, and I promise you won’t be bored.  I realize that the majority of the TRIBE.LY readers have amazing gifts in areas that are NOT internet marketing.  And that’s OK!  We’re going to take this nice and slow together, and create “The Ultimate Guide to Squeeze Pages for the Non-Internet Marketer”.

The mechanics, systems and tools are critical areas that we must dive into here at TRIBE.LY.

It’s fun to talk about what makes us come alive, and get inspired to bring change to our world.  (and we will continue to do so!)  But…

Ideas ultimately need structure to thrive.  We must construct our entrepreneurial wings and learn how to fly.  (click to retweet)

The Wright Brothers dreamt of flying. The visions came to them before they started work on creating a vehicle of flight.  I’m sure there were many people before their time that had  dreams and visions of flight.

Who do we remember though?

The monuments and museums are raised up in honor of the ones that did the work.  Orville and Wilbur took action on their dreams and they literally built their wings with real tools, real materials, and real manual labor.  Now it’s our turn.

I invite you to join us over the next several blog posts, as we create this incredible resource, interactively, together.  If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for updates so you don’t miss a post in this series.

The Purpose and Definition of the Squeeze Page

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, allow me to define…

• Landing Page
• Squeeze Page
• Lead Capture Page

These are all terms I’ve heard thrown around to describe a webpage that has one very specific intention…

To capture information about the most interested visitors (your target market) so you can stay in touch.

The most common information collected on a squeeze page is Name and Email.  The word squeeze was used by early Internet Marketers to describe the process of taking 100% of your visitors and squeezing them through a funnel (the page itself) to ultimately collect a percentage of them (the ones who are interested in what you are doing) into a list, so that you have permission to email them.

The Ultimate Squeeze Page will ultimately draw your tribe in, introduce them to what you can do for them, and bring them to a decision point of taking action by joining the community or not.

Q: So, what’s the difference between The Ultimate Squeeze Page and just any old ordinary web-page asking someone for their name and email? 

Simple Answer:  Conversion.  You know the saying, “Time is Money”, right?  Well, I also like the saying, “Traffic is Money”.  It’s not good to waste your traffic.  There are only so many real people visiting your website each day, so you want to make sure that you “squeeze” or “capture” every person that resonates with your message and connects with the vision of your TRIBE.  The traffic represents potential customers.

A finely tuned squeeze page will “convert” the highest possible percentage of total visitors into people that join your TRIBE.  The better the squeeze page, the bigger your TRIBE and list will ultimately be.

A Practical Example to Help You Visualize Squeeze Page Conversion

Let’s assume we are able to get 10,000 unique people to visit our page in 1 year.

Plain Page with Opt-in Form

And let’s say we launch a plain page, white background, with a simple form in the middle that says “Sign up here for great tips on getting studio quality recordings at home” and asks for Name and Email address.  Not a whole lot of information, but simple enough, right?  Well, I personally would be shocked if 1% of visitors took a chance by signing up for something so vague.  If 1% signed up, then we would have a TRIBE of 100 members.

Ultimate Squeeze Page

But what if we took things to another level with a squeeze page that implemented industry best practices?  I’ve seen great squeeze pages convert as high as 30%-40%.  If we were able to do the work to achieve a 30% conversion rate, our TRIBE and list size would then be 3,000 members strong!  That’s a 30x difference.

I hope through this example that you are able to see how critical it is to get our squeeze pages right.  Don’t let your customers walk out the door!  If you’ve ever worked in retail or food service, then you know how important it is to impress every person that walks in the door so that they make a decision to make a purchase with you.

Squeeze Pages Build Your TRIBE and Attract Customers

In case you missed the newsletter, I’ve been working with Ryan Earnhardt from Lumen Audio Recording Studio right here in Asheville to launch an online training course for musicians that want a studio quality recording experience at home.  I won’t be bashful — it’s kind of a big deal… here’s why:

Ryan is a brilliant mind in the space of audio engineering.  There are only a handful of people in the world with very specific natural, almost genius-like intuition in each area of science, technology, athletics, arts.  These are the masters who have what it takes to be thought leaders and teachers in their space.

Have you experienced that magical spot where putting in time in your area of expertise feels more like play than work?  It’s a place of complete freedom where you can get lost in time… creating.  (click to retweet)

This magical spot contains the potential to rise up into levels of leadership and mastery.  That’s where Ryan is at in his niche.  That’s why I’m really amped (no pun intended) to help him package his audio engineering brilliance into an explosive product launch online.  We’re calling the project Studio Recording at Home.

There is one specific goal that Ryan and I would like to accomplish with the squeeze page for Studio Recording at Home:

Gather aspiring musicians and audio engineers that are on a tight budget.

Period.  That’s it.  We want to bring the TRIBE together, and find our potential students.

Who is your target market?  What group of people do you want to gather?  Who can you teach?

Ready to get started?  Let’s Build Your Squeeze Page

Your best chance to create The Ultimate Squeeze Page for your TRIBE is right now.  This will not be a one-off, one-way, lesson on squeeze pages.  Many internet marketers and bloggers have been there, done that.  This will be an interactive series of posts featuring YOU and your TRIBES.  By engaging in this series, you will absolutely, no doubt, walk away with a very effective squeeze page, and will be well on your way to gathering those first 1,000 TRIBE members.

Action Step.

1. If you have a squeeze page already, past a link in the comments so the TRIBE can see your starting point.  (no such thing as a bad starting point!)
2. If you don’t have a squeeze page already, list the reasons you haven’t launched one yet.  What obstacles, questions, or confusing technical things have been standing in your way?  What squeeze page do you like that you wish you could model?

I may use several of your comments throughout the series of posts on squeeze pages, so don’t be shy!  Opportunities for free exposure, constructive criticism and backlinks should never be passed by.

I’ll go first and lead the way…  (see my comment below)

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

I found myself drawn into its beauty, emptying myself of all of my cares, worries, and fears that pile on throughout the day.  I was fully present in the moment, a rare state of mindfulness as I simply existed, breathed, and watched as the colors changed before my eyes.

There were sounds of coyotes howling in the distance.  Lightning bugs were beginning to take flight and glow as the light dimmed.  This picturesque evening on the front porch of our house in Western North Carolina was surreal.

The playful sounds of my 10 year old son and a couple of his neighborhood friends grabbed my attention as they came around the corner of the house.  As his friends began walking home for the night, my son started his trek up the driveway toward the house where I was sitting.  His eyes connected with mine as if to sense whether I would return an inviting look back.  I did.  He asked if he could sit with me on my lap, which just completely melted me.  After all, its been quite some time since he last sat with me to just receive love, hugs and have a chat.  It was perfect timing, as my state of mindfulness in that moment would open me up to fully engage and be 100% available for him, even if it was just in the form of love and embrace.

We talked.  I asked him a big question.  ”What is your favorite thing about life right now?”  After a minute of thinking about it, he said he couldn’t come up with anything.  He said he was scared, and as I held him close, I asked him to tell me what scared him.  He opened up to me about his biggest fears, the nightmares that he’s been having, the reasons he finds life difficult.  I wept inside, but at the same time I was full of joy.  The joy stemmed out of this realization that we can live life together.  We can connect in real ways as father and son.  All it takes is a concerted effort on my part to be mindful and present in the moment.  The opportunity to work with him through his fears would not exist if it had not been for an intentional heart to heart conversation.

Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness in Our Lives

As I reflected on those 30 minutes with my son last night, I was reminded that the truth discovered here, applies to all of our relationships in life, including those within our TRIBES.  How can we be fully present and mindful when it comes to the people participating in our businesses, communities, and movements?  Here are a few steps that I extracted out of last night’s experience:

1. Take time to empty your mind

Dump all of the negative energy surrounding worries about the past, fears about the future, and zone in on the present and what is going on around you right now.

2. Setup reminders to do Step 1 throughout the day

My friend Jonathan Mead turned me onto an app called Lotus Bud.  It sets up random interval reminders in the form of a chime on your iOS or Android device.  It’s purposefully random so that you are not expecting it.  When the random chime sounds, it’s an opportunity to check in with yourself for a brief meditation to bring yourself back to a state of clarity and mindfulness.

3. Stop and Reflect on the Beauty

You have started something beautiful.  It might not be exactly what you hoped and dreamed about (yet!), but every sunset has various phases throughout the transition.  This is a journey that you must enjoy for the experience.  The TRIBE that you were meant to build, is one that makes you fully alive.  Immerse yourself in its beauty… soak it in and allow it to fuel you.  When you can set aside the worries of the past, the fears of the future, and be present in the moment, you will find yourself in a place of gratitude for the progress you’ve made so far, and for the people you’ve attracted into the TRIBE and your life.  This is a magical place.

3. Be Open to Interruptions

If you’ve ever been through time management training like I went through in the corporate world, you probably came out with some damage and scarring in this area.  People are in our lives for a reason, and when we consistently tune them out, block them out, and avoid them, we are moving away from our entire purpose.  Relationships are more important than productivity, and the relationships within our TRIBE are synonymous with productivity.  If all you do is push widgets, then great, go the 4-hour work week route and put the automated, robotic response systems in place.  If you are building a real movement that has the impact and ability to educate, transform, and connect people, handle communications yourself, and relish the opportunity to be interrupted!

4. Engage in Tribal Conversation

There have been a number of internet businesses and brands outsource their comment moderation on their blogs, social profiles, email, etc.  Did you know one of the top marketers in the world, Seth Godin, handles his own email response and conversation within his TRIBE?  Even if you can’t personally respond to everything, find ways to steer people toward the places where meaningful conversation is taking place and personally engage in that place (like a specific blog post comment thread or a social network thread).

The key to mindful conversation is listening, and then personally engaging.  Be open to what your TRIBE members are saying without judgment, prejudice or preconceived ideas of what you think they need.

Listen first. Take some time to process and sit with what you just heard. Lastly, respond meaningfully from your heart.  Keep in mind, length of response has nothing to do with intentionality or meaning.  You can be very intentional and meaningful with a brief response.

5. Invite Your TRIBE Into the Higher Vision

Just as this moment with my son opened me to the possibility of working with him to paint a different picture of his life, one without fear, you too can open the possibilities for your tribe.  As you listen to your TRIBE and you share in their successes, failures, joys, and pains, the higher vision for the TRIBE, the needed transformation, will reveal itself more clearly.  You will begin to connect names, faces, stories, and real people to the needs that the TRIBE can meet.  Communicate the transformational vision clearly and often.  Throughout your conversations, invite people into sharing and participating in this vision.  It is through this vision that hope comes alive and people can take flight.

Share Your Experience with Mindfulness!

What else works for you and your TRIBE (or your family)?  I am just beginning to learn about the power of mindfulness in my own life and relationships, and would love to hear more about your experience in the comments.

Many people in our lives, whether they are building businesses, communities, and TRIBES or not could really use these 5 simple steps to Mindfulness (and the valuable extra insights that our TRIBE adds in the comments below!).  These are effective tools even in our families, marriages and friendships.  Would you take some time to make the world a better place today and share this with the people in your network?  Simply click the social sharing buttons to the left of the article.

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

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Image Credit: Dave Allen

If we want to learn how to change the world, let’s take some cues from the “Dancing Guy”…

What dance do you feel in your bones that you are hesitant to start for fear of what people will think around you?

My Name is Jason Spencer… Let’s Change the World.

Video Credit: 1

We live in an age of the $100 Startup, the 4-Hour Work Week, and the Million-Dollar Blog.  You can buy a book, watch an online video training course, or attend a live seminar and come out on the other side with a plan and some energy to get started.  The only thing stopping people in 2012 from starting a business is themselves.

The real question, in my opinion, is not who is stepping up to start a business, but who is stepping up to change the lives of the people around them.  I’m most interested in connecting with, learning about, and supporting the TRIBE builders that want to change the world.

I am rolling out a brand new series of blog posts called, “9 Steps to Change the World”.

If the possibility of YOU and your TRIBE changing the world excites you in any way, please click here to tweet and keep reading because I am announcing a really cool and big incentive for a handful of energetic, passionate TRIBE members at the end.

About “9 Steps to Change the World”

In this series of posts, I will offer the blogosphere’s very first blueprint model outlining the process of what it takes to build a grass roots TRIBE that will change the world.

I will be analyzing and reverse engineering some incredible movements that are taking place right now, so that you have some real examples and case studies to use as models for your own movement.

I will prove that making money and changing the world are not polar opposites, and actually make a winning combination that I hope you will use for yourself.

Here is an outline of the upcoming series so that you can follow along and look forward to piecing together the structure of your own world changing TRIBE:

Step 1: Invest in Yourself
Step 2: Establish A Platform for Your TRIBE
Step 3: Position Your TRIBE
Step 4: Find a “Band of Brothers”
Step 5: Build Your TRIBE (Part 1) – Free Content Strategy
Step 6: Build Your TRIBE (Part 2) – Traffic Strategy
Step 7: Lead Your TRIBE – Education Product + Community
Step 8: Grow the TRIBE (Part 1) – Raise up Torchbearers
Step 9: Grow the TRIBE (Part 2) – Strategic Partnerships

(live links will appear here above as posts are rolled out)

Your Role in the 9 Steps to Change the World

I need your help.

I am planning to take this series of posts beyond the blog.  I am motivated to design an advanced coaching product that will help TRIBE builders like yourself, start with that ONE idea, the spark, and transform it into a world changing TRIBE.

In order to do that, the more participation and feedback you can give me during this stage, the better the final product is going to be.  Feedback can come in the form of questions, sharing your own stories, linking or sharing the stories of others, or even critiques both positive and negative with your thoughts about the content.

And so, I am willing to provide a bit of incentive.  Actually, A LOT of incentive.

TRIBE.LY’s 1st TRIBAL COUNCIL.

I will be hand-selecting a few folks who are actively participating in the blog post series, and inviting them to be a part of the first TRIBAL COUNCIL.  (Yes, I stole that from CBS’s Survivor, hoping they don’t own a trademark.. it’s just too cool not to use in this context).

The TRIBAL COUNCIL will be a mastermind assembly of TRIBE Builders that will be featured exclusively on a special page on TRIBE.LY with bio/profiles, information about the TRIBES you are building, links, etc.  Your TRIBE may also be featured in future blog articles.

Beyond some cool publicity, links and shout-outs on TRIBE.LY, this will be your greatest opportunity to surround yourself with a great network and support system to help propel you and your TRIBE to the next level.  Whatever baby pool ripple effects you might be having now (just kidding, I’m just trying to make a point), start thinking Tsunami size ripples.

There will be a private forum for the TRIBAL COUNCIL, sneak peeks and exclusive early access to upcoming products, conference calls, and even possibilities for face to face gatherings (with real live fire and torches).  Every successful TRIBE Builder I know surrounded themselves with like-minded people to share ideas with, get feedback, contribute to others in a helpful, positive way.  Now is your chance to do the same.

Your Chance to Respond and Participate

Let’s get started.  Here are a few questions you can feel free to respond to in the comments below.  Or feel free to respond in your own creative way.

• What are you most excited about in hearing the plans for “9 Steps to Change the World” or the TRIBAL COUNCIL?
• What step(s) in the outline above are you most interested in learning more about and why?
• What are you hoping that I absolutely cover during this 9 step blog post series?

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build TRIBES

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Snakes?

I enjoy getting out a few times a week to hike at the North Carolina Arboretum by Bent Creek on the south side of Asheville.  I take the opportunity in the middle of my day to infuse myself with nature and be outside.

Yesterday was an overcast day, so it was a bit dim and damp along the trails in the woods.  The usual sunshine that pours in through the tops of the trees was missing and so I found myself in a more mysterious, shadowy environment.

I wear headphones and have the sounds of inspiring music rushing through my head as I maintain a swift walking pace to get my blood flowing.  This is the perfect formula to charge up the creative juices.

When squirrels are prancing around in the leaves and brush around me, I can usually hear the rustling of the leaves above the music.  Sometimes it startles me, only because I know there are more then just squirrels out there.  My biggest fear though, especially on the dim, damp days like this?

Snakes.

I’d rather not see them, honestly.  I know they’re out there, but its best they remain hidden.  Out of sight, out of mind.  Wishful thinking.

At one point, I literally jumped I was so scared when I heard a hiss so loud that it overcame my music coming out of a thick brush area between the trail and the stream to my left.  I shivered as I thought to myself that it must have been a large snake warning me off, letting me know I was invading its territory.  This was the first I actually heard one, or what I thought was one since I didn’t actually see it.

Just a few minutes later, there it lay… in the middle of the trail just ahead of me.  It was large, scaly, grey, and all coiled up in the middle of the trail.

A skin that must have been shed recently.

The snake that left it there was nowhere to be seen, but the evidence of their presence brings shivers across my body.

The evidence was all around me, and my fears were escalated, but I did not see a real, live snake that day on my hike.

Snakes and Other Fears Surround You

We are surrounded every day.

The things that haunt our minds, sometimes even consume and paralyze us.  Our fears.

We all have them.  The only difference between those of us that are living fully alive in happiness and joy, and those of us that are paralyzed and consumed by fear, is what we choose to do with these fears.

Are there snakes in your life that prevent you from moving?

The snakes exist.  They are real.  However, if I allowed my fear of snakes to completely consume me, I would never have the opportunity to experience the many benefits of my nature hikes:

• Clarity of mind
• Meditation
• Time to focus on gratitude
• Exhaling of negativity
• Inhaling of beauty and light
• Giving my body an opportunity to exercise and get the heart pumping
• Experiencing the beauty of nature and the outdoors
• Inducing creative thought patterns

These are a lot of incredible benefits to miss out on!

The chances of me actually encountering a snake on my hike are pretty slim.

Can it happen and has it happened?  Yes.

Did those encounters result in the worst case scenario that plays through my head?  The snake attacking and biting me?  No.

Despite the fact that you are surround by snakes, or your own fears in life, you have a choice:

1. Allow the fear to own you.  Lose out on the benefits of your journey through life much in the same way I would lose the benefits outlined above if I did not hike.  Find yourself stuck and paralyzed unable to move toward what you want in your life.

2. Walk forward, despite your fear.  Gain amazing benefits of living your best life, including happiness and joy.  Don’t allow the snakes that are hidden around you to stop you from the next steps in your journey.  If you happen to encounter a snake, continue to move forward and rejoice in the fact that your worst case scenario did not play out (it usually never does).

Fear Can Move You Forward

Your best life is ahead of you.  While you’ve been busy listening to the hissing sounds from the bushes, or worrying about the pile of shed skin in front of you, you’ve been missing out on the best that life has to offer.  Look ahead, stop worrying about what is behind you or what is potentially lurking to your side.

In fact, allow fear to push you forward.  Use it as a tool, sort of like magnets with opposite polarity moving objects forward.  Sometimes fear can be a tremendous motivator to walk a bit more swiftly, and drive us into the greatest parts of our journeys.

“Normal fear protects us; abnormal fear paralyses us. Normal fear motivates us to improve our individual and collective welfare; abnormal fear constantly poisons and distorts our inner lives. Our problem is not to be rid of fear but, rather to harness and master it.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

My good friend, Cara Stein, who I’ve enjoyed getting to know in our Trailblazer Mastermind Group (via Jonathan Mead from Illuminated Mind), has a tribe dedicated to breaking beyond fear and living your best life.  You can find her blogging and building an amazing community of people that are breaking beyond fear to embrace a fully complete and adventurous life at 17000days.com.

If you are in a place in your journey where you are ready to conquer your biggest fears, and gain control over them so that you can use them as a tool, I highly recommend downloading her free guide, “What’s Stopping You”.

My Name is Jason Spencer and I Build Tribes

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