I get it. You’ve already got so much on your plate, it’s rolling off and onto the floor. The last thing you need is another task to do in your already jam packed day, right? Well, yeah! But tribes aren’t a burden. They’re the ones who come behind you and clean up all that stuff that just fell off your plate and splattered onto the kitchen tile.

If you’re thinking of your tribe as another task, let me encourage you to change your mindset. Think Native Americans. Not those who lived in cabins and homes in the Smoky Mountains, but those who lived in teepees and wandered around the plains of the Midwest in search of buffalo.

They were never without help. They banded together. When one was weak, others added their strength. When one lacked, the others pitched in. That’s what tribes do. That’s why they are so valuable.

There are many benefits to having your own tribe. I could list a billion but I’m writing a blog post, not a novel. Here are a few.

Your Resources Multiply. In my tribe I have a social media guru. When I need help, she’s there! Everyone is good at something. And the thing you’re not good at just might be resolved easily by someone in your tribe.

There’s Strength in numbers. You not only have your own strength and brilliance backing you, but you enjoy the combined brilliance of every member of your tribe. You’ll be unstoppable.

You’ll get a push. When you get rubbed the wrong way by editors, agents, consumers and opinionated readers, you’ll want to pull the string and get off at the next stop. Your tribe keeps pushing you forward so the momentum continues and you stay on the bus, heading toward your dream.

I’ve made life-long friendships from total strangers who joined my tribe. I feel loved, accepted, valued and respected. So can you. That’s what’s in it for you. What’s more, you deserve to get that, so if you haven’t begun building your tribe, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to begin?

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Reba J. Hoffman is a natural encourager and Member Care Coach at My Book Therapy. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and is the founder of Magellan Life Coaching (www.magellanlifecoaching.com). She is the author of Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal published by My Book Therapy. She also publishes a motivational and encouraging blog, FindingTrue North. Contact Reba at reba@magellanlifecoaching.com.