I Realized I Had One …
Last Saturday, as I was barreling down the road, third in line of six cyclists, I realized I was part of a crew. A rat pack. A band of friends. A gang in the old-fashioned, positive sense of a bunch of people who hang out to do stuff.
It happened by accident. A couple of us wanted to ride, then a few more. At a certain point, it gained momentum.
There’s power in a group of friends who get together to accomplish a purpose. Positive peer pressure keeps you going when you’re not feeling motivated. Everyone’s learning curve accelerates. Your personal branding benefits when you spend time with people who are perceived as ambitious do’ers who have something good going on.
You Want Your Own Crew
Want to bring that kind of influence into your life? It could be for fitness – a running, riding or walking crew. It could be for business – a brainstorming, marketing or networking crew. It could be spiritual – a bible study group. It could be for anything you need to accomplish or just for the camaraderie of friendship.
How to Create One
So if you don’t have a crew of your own, it’s time to get one. Here’s how to deliberately and intentionally create your own CREW:
C – consistency.
Pick a day of the week or month, set a time and find a place. Make that your time. All else has to fit in relation to that. Not the other way around. For me, Saturday is riding day. Sunday is running day. Want to schedule something with me on one of those mornings? Better lace up the ol’ sneakers.
R – results.
No one else is going to want to join your unofficial club if it’s not doing any good. I started my running crew with one friend who wanted to get in better shape. After we both started showing results, other people wanted to be part of it too.
E – enthusiasm.
Whatever your purpose – fitness, business, worship – it’s still important to have fun. If you’re not enjoying it, why would anyone else want to chime in? No one has a crew and considers hanging out with them to be work or drudgery. No one in my cycling group ever complains (okay, sometimes when the headwind is really bad) and there’s sometimes a bit of moaning and groaning when we say “just one more lap” on Sunday, but everyone is doing this for the enjoyment.
W – word of mouth.
When you’ve got something good and you want to grow it, talk about it. Tell stories. Share your successes. If you spend time handing out with people in your crew, you can’t help but relive the fun you had the last time you got together. Other people will want to be part of that. Go ahead, invite them.
Do you have a crew? How did you come together?
