4 Jedi Lessons for How to Grow Your Community
Budget was really tight when I was growing up and going to the movies was a rare thing. My dad loved Sci-Fi, so Star Wars became a “thing” for my Dad, my brother and me. As kids, my brother would save his allowance for light sabers and Han Solo gear and we spent endless hours playing and dreaming of going to that “Galaxy”. After my Dad passed, my brother and I exchange some kind of little Star Wars trinket each year at Christmas as a nod to the fun in sharing this with my Dad.
A few weeks ago, I checked a big item off of my bucket list and surprised my brother with a birthday trip to the Star Wars Celebration gathering of Star Wars fans in Los Angeles. I was in awe of the over 100k raving fans at this event.
If you are on a mission to know how to grow your community of raving fans, there is much to be learned from the Jedi Masters:
Jedi Lesson #1: Be ready for what comes next.
Want to guess what the estimated total revenue generated from the Star Wars franchise? 27,000,000,000* (Yep, that’s in billions.) And, here’s the surprising part: Only 4 billion of this is estimated to come from box office sales. The rest? From all the next level products and experiences the Star Wars Jedi Council anticipated fans would want next. My guess is all those Luke Skywalker figurines were in production long before the movie release party. The time to anticipate what is next is when you are creating what comes first.
Lesson: Whether your main offer is a course, event or product, start thinking about what your tribe will want and need after your offer as you create your offer. When you anticipate this, you can be positioned to serve at a higher level (and exponentially increase your revenue with a loyal band of followers). Think of building your business as building a series of experiences for your customers.
*Retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/star-wars-total-franchise-revenue/
Jedi Lesson #2: Be one with the Force.
Yoda, one of the most skilled of the Jedi, was quick to say that the future is “difficult to see” and “always in motion”. While we can’t predict the future when deciding our right next step, we can rely on our ability to go with the flow and adjust along the way in order to make any decision work. Jedi community leaders balance reflection and action. And, they take action even when uncertain about the outcome because they trust their ability to figure it out along the way.
Lesson: We don’t have the ability to always make THE right decision. But, we do have the ability to make any decision right by adapting along the way. The secret to success in creating an online course, launching your coaching program or hosting your next event is to listen, move with the flow and adjust along the way. ‘”Be one with the Force”.
Jedi Lesson #3: Fear is the path to the Dark Side.
“Named must your fear be before banish it you can.”
What does fear look like for an entrepreneur? Doing what others tell you that you should be doing, even when it doesn’t look like the right path for you. Feeling pressured to use slick strategies that don’t feel right to you because you see “successful” people using them. Taking the unfulfilling job, role, or client project because you are scared the one you really want won’t show up (and, you need a paycheck). Fear holds us back. Staying the path and doing what feels right to you is the essence of success. As Yoda wisely shares, the first step is recognizing the fear that has the power to influence you.
Lesson: Following the path of the Jedi means making choices that are in alignment with what feels right to you and trusting that being authentic and doing what feels right is the path to success. And, realizing that profit enables freedom.
Jedi Lesson #4: Celebration is the cornerstone of culture.
Even during a Galactic Rebellion, the Rebel Forces find time to celebrate.
The Star Wars 13 million-and-counting Facebook community celebrates their fan hood with movie clips, articles, trivia and more. Great leaders (and, you are THE leader of your community) bring people together and create culture through what they celebrate. How are you celebrating? What are you celebrating?
Lesson: Remember that the community you create is a big part of the experience you craft. And, what you celebrate in that community defines your brand. The stories you share, the client successes you highlight, the rituals you encourage, the phrases and “-isms” you bring to your community become your point of difference.
Summing it Up
You have the power to create anything you imagine. Using that power to do something meaningful is a choice we get to make every day.
May the Fourth Be With You.
How will you apply these Jedi lesssons in your business and life? Let me know in the comments below.
Disappoint you do not Jeanine! I was wondering how you would celebrate this day. Thanks for the great words of wisdom! I might just have to put a lightsaber in my new office… or at least an Ewok!
Definitely an Ewok! Cheers, Amanda! Thanks for taking a moment to say “hello”!
Love the way you phrased “being one with the Force”. Most of the time, people talk about just having Faith that it will work out. For us people who like “control”, the way you’ve phrased it that you can take a step – even when it is not clear if it is the “right” step – and have the ability to adapt the steps to make it “right” for us. It’s a good way to feel like there is a balance between the Faith and the do-ing. Thanks!
Hello Lisa! You are so right. Yes, I believe creating what we imagine requires much more than imagining! Great to see you here. Thanks for joining in the conversation.