Who's In Your Starting Five?

The Starting Five in South Carolina

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

I read this quote recently and began to think about the people I spend the most time with as a leader.  I believe that you should always surround yourself with people who make you better.  I also believe in surrounding yourself with people who think differently and push you to stretch your thinking.  

As a leader you can only lead people as far as you have gone yourself.  That's why it is critical to continually re-evaluate your "starting five" to determine if they are helping to develop you as a leader.  The book The Wisdom of Crowds touches on some of these key points.  These are four factors that book references that will make up a wise crowd or an all star starting five.

Diversity of opinion	Each person should be an independent thinker
Independence	People's opinions aren't determined by the opinions of those around them.
Decentralization	People are able to specialize and draw on local knowledge.
Aggregation	Some mechanism exists for turning private judgments into a collective decision.

I actually think about the five people quote in two different ways.  First, there are the five people that I have the most face to face time with.  These are the people who are on your leadership team, executive team, etc.  These are the key decision makers who you rely on to get a project done.  Are you surrounded by the right people?  

The second way involves the importance of a Personal Learning Network (PLN).  The five people I spend the most time with really depends on the project, area of interest, topic discussed, etc.  Technology has become a game-changer in terms of unparalleled access to experts in all fields of study.  In this way I become infinitely smarter with my starting five.  I am able to garner resources, ask questions, discuss obstacles, and take advantage of opportunities.  I often wonder how I ever operated without the benefit of my PLN.  Mudder Nation is a great example of a PLN devoted entirely to insane people like the three of us.  This blog has also expanded our starting five as it has given us another avenue to connect and learn from others who are taking on grand adventures.  

DC, Patrick, and I have all also written various posts about how one wouldn't be here without the other.  This is the heart of the quote.  You will only be as good as the company you keep.  This line is scary as it is just another sign that I am turning into my parents.  They often gave me this advice throughout school as it pertained to friends.  I feel fortunate to surround myself with people that push me in all phases on my life.  Some people push me professional while others push me to be a better person.  The rare people are the ones that can push you in all aspects including your year in the mud.  


Who is in your starting five?  Take a look at those five people.  Are you okay with your average?  Is it enough to move you or your organization forward?  How can you leverage the collective wisdom of this group to transform learning?

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My Start to "Our Year in the Mud"

My Start to "Our Year in the Mud"

Usually when I think of starting a work out regimen and adopting 
a rigorous nutritional diet, I think WTF - not WTM. But I have to admit I'm inspired. Getting inspired at 39...now that's not too bad. I've often heard that one needs to make their mark by the time their 40, so I guess there's no time like the present. Maybe I'm confusing inspiration with the onset of my midlife crisis. I was really hoping to hold that off until I was at least 45 or so, but I don't think a midlife crisis is that bad when it comes to getting my mind wrapped around trying to compete in the World's Toughest Mudder. I mean I did just complete two laps at the Society Hill Mudder so aiming for 4 or more at this years World's Toughest doesn't seem that unreasonable. (As long as I don't reflect on that ridiculous Artic Enima obstacle.) I did just successfully spend the last 45 minutes going through my meal plan for the week. Maybe this year will be My Start to "Small Victories."  Dropping down to my ideal 180 is probably going to be the hardest challenge in this whole endeavor.

This isn't going to be the first time I've prepared for a Mudder. Well I can't really say I prepared for my first one. I got up to a maximum 4 mile run but that in no way prepared me for what I was about to face at Wintergreen last year. That course was accurately described as up the mountain and down the mountain. A tough course - probably the Toughest yet for me at least. Then came Pennsylvania and a Double Mudder at Society Hill. A bit of veteran I have become. 

But again, this time I truly feel inspired to get ready. I mean - I am blogging about it. Truly, I'm not sure how you couldn't be inspired if you followed any of the results of the 2012 World's Toughest Mudder. My hat is still off to the great coverage available on MudderNation. I spent the better part of the day calling out to my two girls to come and watch the latest video - especially those covering Amelia Boone. A true inspiration to all of us - not just the girls and women out there!!!!

This will be the first time though that I really get prepared. Prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually. Yes - spiritually! Go ahead and say it - it's not a bad word.

I actually thought of a pretty good start to this journey. Over the past weekend, I completed a 13.5 mile loop hike around Three Ridges in the George Washington National Forest. I have done parts of that trail a couple of times, but never the entire loop. Good strenuous hike over beautiful mountain peaks and along wonderful mountain creeks. (Ahhh you didn't know I was a poet as well did you. It all just flows.) I'll have to admit it was tough. I haven't been in the back country of any forest since my oldest was born, and I truly forgot how to pack. 51 pounds on the back!!! About 20 pounds of it were never used. Note to self - leave the change of clothes in the car, denim is heavy. And yes, one sweatshirt is plenty for a weekend hike. But we did find a Weirwood. How appropriate for a December hike - Winter is Coming!!!

One of the great perks of the Tough Mudder, for those of you who don't know, is that it isn't really a race. It is truly about the camaraderie. I mean granted I'm on a team of two other males so it is probably always a race, but to me it's a lot like golf. No matter who is out there with you, it is still you versus a little ball that just lays there and mocks you. The Tough Mudder is about me. My race. My preparation. My test. Having 2 buddies to pull me a long is a huge bonus. And I definitely would not be out there if it wasn't for them. I guess in all things there is a benefit to having, as I like to call them, a couple of Mudda Brothas!

So here I stand - or actually sit as I work to draft my first post - preparing to commit myself to a year of P90x, Insanity, and running. Running - yes for the first time in my life I'm going to commit myself to running. I WILL FEEL A RUNNER'S HIGH I SWEAR IT!!! That, in and of itself, will be a victory for me. There is very little exercise that I love less than running. I guess that is why I'm grateful that I've actually found a race that makes me run - along with wading through chest deep mud, jumping into freezing water, crawling through narrow underground tunnels, and ultimately learning to enjoy a good electrocution. I mean you really haven't lived until you've had an electrical wire ping you on the top of your head. (Put a helmet on, hit yourself with a hammer and you too can enjoy all there is to a good 10,000 volt shock.) 

Wait a minute - maybe this is a midlife crisis. I guess we shall see. But I don't think it can be all that bad. At the end of this thing I will probably be in the best shape of my life.

So let's go. 13.5 mile hike - check!. The first day of Chest and Back P90x behind me (seems like I just finished 90 days of that stuff) and Insanity plyo in the back of my mind for this evening. Should be fun!!!

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