The Power of Your Tribe

How a community makes us stronger

On a cool afternoon in December, in the mountains overlooking Castaic Lake in California, my friends and I set out to complete a mission. My humble tribe of middle-aged exemplars was part of a much larger team of 500 Optimize coaches participating in a Spartan race event.

Why were we there?

To show our grit. To walk our talk. To demonstrate our commitment to the people we would soon be coaching and mentoring.

We had just completed a year-long Optimize Coach training program. Finishing a Spartan race event was part of our graduation requirements. Stepping out of our comfort zone to do something that challenged us held special meaning. We call it being Anti-Fragile.

It wasn't enough to complete the lectures, do the reading and writing assignments. We needed to show ourselves what we were capable of. We needed to step up to the starting line, get moving on our journey, and accept every obstacle as an opportunity to become better.

Barely a few minutes into the race, we entered the lake's frigid waters to trudge through waist-high water for a little more than 100 yards. Holding hands high overhead, we supported each other as we attempted to navigate the river bottom with its many logs and low spots. Halfway through, we began singing to steady our shaking bodies.

Having completed the water portion of the event, we made our way to the first of many walls we needed to traverse. My friend Kim, a short woman in her 50's, went ahead of me. Grasping the top edge of the five-foot wall, Kim lost her grip and slammed hard to the ground.

Time stood still as I waited to see if she was okay or if I needed to get help. I reached down to give her a hand off the muddy ground and was surprised when she pulled hard on my outstretched arm. She looked me square in the face, eyes as big as cue balls, and commanded, "get me up, I'm going OVER THAT WALL!" And she did.

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