One of the greatest responsibilities of SEAL instructors is to…
…aggressively, relentlessly, and often ruthlessly eliminate those who are either uncommitted or incapable of holding to their commitment. It’s their job to prune the herd so that it can become a pack.
Herds are composed of fundamentally…
…weak individuals who derive a false sense of security by blending in with others who are similar. They bind themselves to the collective, not out of strength but out of fear—hoping that by becoming indistinguishable, they can somehow evade the jaws of chaos that lurk just outside the safety of conformity.
Every member of the herd is shackled to the daily rituals and decisions dictated by the collective, regardless of broader consequences. This enforced conformity stifles individual potential, leaving no room for anyone to rise above the mediocrity of the group. The consequences of attempting to break free are severe—often deadly. The herd demands conformity, unwittingly punishing those who don’t conform.
In stark contrast, packs are…
…purpose-driven and highly organized, structured around a clear hierarchy. Each member of a pack plays a distinct and vital role, contributing to the group’s coordinated strategy to hunt, protect, and sustain.
The strength of a pack lies in its unity of purpose and its clear division of roles, demanding individual growth that produces a power that is unattainable for those bound by herd dynamics.
But humanity is both capable of and requires more…
…our evolution demands it. A tribe is the human adaptation of the pack, elevated to fulfill a greater purpose.
In a tribe, the strength of the individual and the collective are amplified through shared purpose, commitment, and the drive to thrive, not merely survive. The greater the purpose, the stronger both the individual and the tribe become.
Tribes do not form by accident. They emerge from necessity—the necessity not only to survive but to rise, to lead, and to ensure the growth and well-being of every member.
As our environment becomes more advanced and competitive, the demand for collaboration, purpose, and resilience has never been greater. Despite this, many people continue to operate alone, or worse, remain tethered to the herd, suffering the consequences of a life spent in fear of stepping beyond the group’s conformity driven comfort.
FINDING a TRUE TRIBE
If you are ambitious, if you have a purpose that burns inside of you, know this: the herd will never take you where you need to go. Alone, there is no way to fulfill the purposes for which you were created for because individual purpose goes beyond what an individual can do.
What you need is a True Tribe—a group of individuals aligned in purpose, who, together, automate, protect, and accelerate each other’s growth in every meaningful domain: personal, financial, and professional.
The True Tribe works because it aligns fundamentally on shared values, a common direction, and coordinated strategies. Together, members create an environment of accountability and growth—one where each person’s success is inherently tied to the success of the collective.
Operating in a True Tribe is not a luxury. In the most dynamic and technologically advanced environment humanity has ever known, it is the only way to fully realize your purpose. Alone, or within the confines of a herd, you are at best surviving. In a True Tribe, you have the power to thrive and lead others to do the same.
Next Steps:
Define Your Purpose and Values – A True Tribe is built on shared fundamental purposes. Do you know yours?
List all the parts of your life that, when cared for, make up what you consider a good life.
Calculate the cost to care for those parts now and for the 30+ years of old age when you can no longer work.
Sniff Out the Herd – Take a hard look at the people you spend the most time with. Does spending time with them automate, protect, and accelerate your ability to care for your professional, financial, and personal purposes?
Do they know their professional, financial, and personal purposes?
Have they ever asked you about yours?
Build Together – Don’t just gather at a coffee shop to talk about something you read. Establish common philosophies, strategies, and practices, and make it a point to help each other stay accountable to the particulars of your purposes.
Meet and discuss where each member stands regarding their current prioritized purposes.
Declare and follow up on commitments.
Remember: The purpose of a tribe is not to…
…spend time together, hang out, drink, watch sports, or even climb, hike, or jump out of planes together. It’s to exist within an environment that supports making the right decisions for fulfilling the purposes for which you were created.
When I left the SEAL teams, I was lucky enough to stumble into a True Tribe. I took that all for granted and eventually left that tribe. For years, I searched for another and couldn’t find one. Real tribes are scarce.
Having known what it felt like to operate in one, I knew there was no way to live a good life without one, so I had no choice but to build one.
If you’re reading this, that means you’ve either stumbled into or just found a True Tribe.
I look forward to doing life with you. More to follow.
Eric
Strategic Writing
In the comment section below copy, paste and respond to the below questions.
1: How do you think your life will turn out living outside of a true “Pack”?
2: How will the lives of those you love and lead turn out if you live outside of a “Pack”?
3: What strategies and tactics will you now Start – Stop – Modify?
** Once complete. Share this with someone in your “Pack” **
Responses
Excellent post Eric….swim Upstream…while others float effortlessly Downstream with the World
Thank you James. Yes…the herd is a dangerous place to be when it comes to fulfilling one’s professional, financial and personal purposes. It’s where people get picked off!
1: How do you think your life will turn out living outside of a true “Pack”?
I think outside of a pack I would likely continue to get vague, inconsistent and unacceptable results for my needs to live and provide for what I call my good life with my family and for the 30 years after I retire with no income
2: How will the lives of those you love and lead turn out if you live outside of a “Pack”?
They will also suffer and drift and not enjoy the benefits and support I would have been able to provide within the energy and commitment of a real and effective pack
3: What strategies and tactics will you now Start – Stop – Modify?
I will pay careful and complete attention to start making more and more intentional starts, stopping to assess ifvthey are moving me toward or away from my life purpose , and either way, how can I try modifying it to get a better result
And then start, stop and modify again to keep moving to the full achievement of my life mission statement
In the company of like minded and similarly focused members of my pack
Grateful
1: How do you think your life will turn out living outside of a true “Pack”?
There is a lot of loneliness which means not only bad feelings and suffering, it means losing the possibility to fulfill my purpose. It is not possible even to find it just by myself, without a true “Pack” (Tribe). Other members provide more opinions, they can see what I’m not able to see, they also identify and fulfill their purposes. Without these things, maybe I will find my purpose but it will not be complete. But probably I will never identify my purpose, and my life and the lives of others will get worse.
2: How will the lives of those you love and lead turn out if you live outside of a “Pack”?
They will become a part of a herd like other weak people, maybe not because they are weak as well, but because no one will show them that there is a possibility to live another way of life, not the life of a victim.
3: What strategies and tactics will you now Start – Stop – Modify?
I will concentrate more on people around me, to find those they want to identify and fulfill their purpose, or not – if they are more “herd people” or “pack people”. I think that the word WANT is very important.
I will also concentrate on my own progress because people follow those they are able to care for their own concerns, they are able to show others by their own example that it is possible to do it, and how great fulfilling of our purposes is. And I will concentrate on my own progress more than now because if I want to be a part of a tribe, I need to be of benefit to other members and the tribe.
Love your heart in this reply. Yes… it’s not really that people are weak as an assessment of who they are, but weakened because of their lack of “Tribe”. Like a lone wolf is weaker than a pack of wolves.
I’m coming back to this topic after a few months, with some observations — and maybe some questions as well.
There are 2–3 people around me who are interested in what I’m doing. They’ve noticed my current results. These people don’t know exactly what their own purposes are, but they are looking for them — they ask (probably not only) me what to do and how to do it in certain situations and under specific circumstances. Sometimes they even ask me about my own purpose. This isn’t a true tribe; they are just my coworkers and friends — but they are “the people I spend the most time with.”
I’ve realized that many people are interested only in the results. But when I start talking about the process, they lose interest — or they even start saying things like, “It’s not possible,” or, “You won’t be able to do it.” I feel like they’re not actually talking about me, but about themselves. They avoid discomfort and risk, refusing to accept the fact that it’s not possible to achieve anything meaningful without going through some level of discomfort and risk.
But those 2–3 people aren’t just interested in the results — they’re also curious about the process, and they’re willing to go through some discomfort and take risks. The types of questions they ask are also different. The ones who only want results will ask, for example, whether they can get the same job as me, and want me to talk to our boss for them. But these 2–3 people ask how things work in our job, or they ask about how to invest, how to work out, etc. (I’m not an expert in those areas, I just do it.). Thinking about them made me realize that I’m following my purpose, but I also enjoy the process itself — especially those moments when I can beat myself and achieve something through that (not necessarily right away). That feels like a double win to me.
Could this be one of the ways to recognize who is a “herd person” and who is a “pack person” — someone who is actually willing and able to participate in a Tribe and become a real member of it?
Without the help and connection and building of a true tribe to help me care for the parts and purposes and costs of what I call a good life, I’m pretty clear now that I will be lucky instead of intentional and mutually supportive and accepting and creating and working solutions together. I am bright and I am fearless but I don’t have all the pieces that I need.
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