How to Create Intentional Growth by Choosing the Right Community

When you surround yourself with the right people, the effects can be truly life changing.

But finding a like-minded, supportive community to surround yourself with as an entrepreneur can be difficult.

If you’ve ever felt alone on your own island, unsure of who to turn to when you need guidance, then this new post is for you.

Today, we’re diving into the value of being a part of the right community and how those people will influence your growth + development over the next decade and beyond.

Read on to discover ways to not only find your people, but also weed out groups that are decidedly not for you.

Who are you spending the most time with? Who are you letting into your inner circle?

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

The fact is, the people you surround yourself with can lift you up, or drag you down. Our circle creates a huge impact on our lives and businesses. This is why finding the right community can be literally life changing.

And yet, as an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to find a community of like-minded people who actually want to support you and help you grow your business. I’m sure you’ve met plenty of people out there who are only in it for themselves and not really open to collaboration. So how do you sort out the takers and connect with a community that cares?

Three places to start when seeking out your own community

If you want to find the right community, there are three places that I recommend you look:

1) Events and conferences. Find gatherings to attend that are centered on a shared goal or interest.

2) Online. Join in on social media and actively participate in places like LinkedIn, Instagram, or in Facebook groups.

Now, a note about the two suggestions above: You can definitely find the right people in those places, the only thing to keep in mind is that you really have to be prepared. You will need to do a lot of research on who’s in those “rooms” and learn to walk away from those who aren’t there to give and reciprocate.

3) Find a leader and join their community. I find this to be the most efficient way to build community. Seek out a leader you respect and see what groups they have going on. If you can find the right leader, you can often find the right group.

Once you find a group, here are some things to look for before joining in:

• Look for a space where you can be yourself. No hiding your feelings necessary; you want to be able to break down when you need and get built back up by the group.
• Look for a space where the individuals involved are communicative and responsive when you need them. You want people who will make time for you as you will for them.
• Look for a space of where people are doing similar things, and are in or around the same level of business that you're at. Maybe they are even a little ahead of where you're at, so that you can grow with them.
• Look for a space where people collaborate instead of compete. You want people who will build you up, not tear you down.
• Look for a leader who cares about fostering the community. You want a leader who is intentional about who comes into the group and ensures everyone participating is a good fit.

Creating intentional growth over the next 10 years

Finding the right community is all about assessing how they are impacting your business, not just over the next year, or the next couple of years, but over the next decade.

So many people set goals 12 months at a time, but they forget to look at the big picture of the next decade. When you look back over the past few decades of your own life, it’s no doubt amazing to see how much you grew and who had an impact on that growth.

If you want to experience impactful growth over the next decade, being intentional about your circle will be a game-changer.

I repeat: Community is created through intentional action. It's created by only letting specific people in who fit that community. And yes, it sounds exclusive. But not everyone is a right fit for everything. And that's okay. Not everyone is the right fit for your community. That doesn't mean there's not a community for everyone. It just means you need to be practical about who fits into yours.

Want to join my community?

I love having you a part of this wider community here via this blog and the podcast.

I also have my Legacy Makers Mastermind that might be a good fit for you, if you’re searching. It’s a year-long program that I’ve spent decades developing as a container that allows people to get vulnerable and experience transformation in their lives and businesses. If that’s something that you’re interested in, feel free to DM me on Instagram for more details.

Onward

What I want you to walk away with today is inspiration to think about your community. Who's in your network? Who are your top five people that you can call anytime, for life or business? And maybe it's the same five people for both. The key is, you know that no matter what, they will be there for you without judgment, just like you will be there for them.

Who are those people? And how are you expanding that group so that it becomes more and more of the people who will build you up, who will support you, and who will help you crush your goals, not just for this next year, but for the next freaking decade?

With the advent of AI, and the way it's growing in popularity and gaining traction, the way it's exploding community, real people, not bots, are more important than ever. I challenge you to go find the right community for you. Find your community, and activate your success frequency.