Whether you are a parent, on the city council or neighborhood board, run your own business, are a part of a church community, take part in theatre or sports, or are involved in an online community of any variety, you come to a quick realization that we need each other.
Whatever your participation, your influence, or what community you’re a part of, networking inevitably leads us to our success, individually and as a group overall. Striving to succeed, let alone to gain traction is difficult and frustrating when we aim to do it on our own.
Leaning on others that we can find positive support, clear direction, and strong connection with will ultimately help us to resolve problems that come our way and take in victory after victory. Together we stand, divided we wander aimlessly.
In this week’s article, I’ll be sharing with you in more detail 5 reasons why community is important for you to actually progress and gain the success you deserve.
1) Accountability
How often do you set a goal or even an action plan to accomplish something and end up forgetting about it or simply giving up?
March is the month when most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions, no doubt leaving you wondering why you even bothered to strive to progress or change in the first place.
When you have a community of like-minded people that have seen results and want your success, it’s important to first and foremost be honest in what you are wanting to achieve. Telling someone deters you from distractions, reduces unproductive behavior, it can increase your confidence and skills, and teaches you to value the work you are putting in to succeed
As you set clear, manageable goals and action plans for yourself, immediately do two things:
1) put those goals or action plans in a place that you’ll physically see them often
2) tell someone, whether in your family, your partner, from a networking group, whoever. Just be sure it’s someone that will keep you accountable and will encourage you on those days where you have lost your drive.
2) Drive & Enthusiasm
Sometimes after our sincere efforts and endless hours of dedication, we can lose drive, get overwhelmed, and wonder what the point of continuing on is all for. It is in those moments that we need people in our corner that have gone where we are striving to or are in similar scenarios that can bolster us up, boost our enthusiasm, and keep us moving forward.
A community of like-minded people that we trust and keep us driven can be our greatest resource to allow us to press on and endure well. Assuming that we’ll be able to counter any doubt, uncertainty, and endless stress and distractions all on our own is not only foolish but doesn’t serve our current and future self’s progress.
Countless times I have been able to accomplish what may have been a daunting task thanks to those that had my back, kept my perspective, and helped me to more clearly see the next best step.
3) Advice & Direction
Throughout our road to progression and success, we inevitably are faced with forks in the road. Some are easier for us to determine which way to go and others on the other hand are not so clear.
These can either make us feel confused and ultimately stuck, cause us immense anxiety, and even make us want to give up. It is in those moments where we need a voice or two to help us to direct, mentor, and help us to better problem solve.
Community is that trusted guiding light to help us go forward one step at a time, directing us with its many rich resources, and offers us an open bond to encourage us onward, leading us to success with confidence.
4) Support & Growth
As we turn to our communities and make the effort to create strong, meaningful bonds within them, we are enabled and encouraged to grow outside of our normal comfort zones to rise to new heights and gain support during our struggles.
The road to progression and success is not a straight and smooth-sailing one, but is a strait and bumpy ride. In my online writing communities and mentors, I have not only been taught what to do and what not to do, but countless times I’ve been supported in taking tried and true chances to better myself, my skills, and my business that I would’ve never been able to achieve or even consider on my own.
Communities enable us to improve the quality of our lives and support us in our positive growth so as to make our weaknesses into strengths and in feeling seen and heard we gain a sense of belonging that aids and evolves us.
5) Connection & Sense of Belonging
At the end of the day, we don’t need hoards of people to praise us, but a few true blue individuals who will buoy us up, keep us grounded, and who want to see us succeed come what may. Such individuals give us a sense of value, self-worth, and a sense of belonging in an ever changing, confusing, and sometimes degrading world.
There is nothing wrong with having critics and failing, such things should be seen as opportunities to learn and to grow. As quoted by Thomas A. Edison, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. …Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
However, just as critics and failing is essential in our progress and ultimate success, we need those positive connections found in our specific communities to enrich our lives, deepen our sense of belonging, and be a part of something of value can then better our lives and in turn others we are meant to influence for the better, becoming a ripple effect of good paying it forward.
In the end, the means to our progress to lead us onward to our success is found in working alongside others, not standing on our own. As my sister always expresses with enthusiasm, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!”
Now I’d love to hear from you, what has been a community that has influenced you for the better?
Please comment below and share this post if it has been of value to you or could be to someone else.
About the Author
Hi there! I’m Stephanie Tracy, a freelance writer, and blogger for hire. I specialize in physical and mental health, parenting, and self-development. I create engaging, inspiring and useful content to help businesses progress in making their viewers into customers. When I’m not writing, you can find me happily playing with my toddler, walking in the park with my family, or indulging in a movie marathon with my husband.
I was consistently reminded how my family and friends have been there for me in many ways while reading this article. Nothing is ever quite done with a single mind but rather from the opinions, suggestions, and effort from those around us. This article brought reassurances toward my own goals. The act of giving up has never quite conjured success. And failing is only a product of trying. I’ll toast to the many failures for the sake of success! 🙂
It takes a village to raise a family but it also takes a village to keep that child moving forward well throughout adulthood too.
Thank you for your openness and sharing your insight!