2% Tribe
“Are you drinking 1% percent because you think you’re fat? Cuz you’re not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to.”- Napoleon, Napoleon Dynamite
Anyone who’s seen the movie, knows that flattery wasn’t what landed Napoleon the girl. It was his quirky personality, and let’s face it, stellar dance moves. Thank God Deb was smart enough to overlook Napoleon’s attempt at wooing (and the not so subtle nod to Jamiroquai) without a group of girlfriends to guide her.
Most of us are not so self-aware. Also, most of us don’t microwave steak or wear shoulder pads, but the topic of that kind of honesty in friendship should be left for another time. The fact is, perhaps it wouldn’t have taken so long for the two, adorably awkward teenagers to come together if Deb had had a 2% percent tribe to back her up.
The 2% tribe is two-fold, accordingly. They know the truth about you and aren’t afraid to remind you. There’s nothing in it for them to gloss over, flatter, or pander to. They want you to be your best self, because when you are, they are. They’re the ones who will tell you when the time comes for whole milk- and when it’s time to scale back to skim. The majority of the time, though, they keep you grounded and balanced; a steady 2%. They cut the fat and add the indulgence here and there, all at the same time.
Now, just because these are the people that provide purpose and balance to your life doesn’t mean that they’re also buzz-kills. Your 2% tribe operates on the idea that even if your plan, your goal, your dream has only a 2% success rate, they’re with you. That restaurant you’ve always wanted to open even though your B.A. is in English and you have no investors, capital or service experience? They help you brainstorm a name and create a Pinterest board with menu designs. The school you’ve always wanted to go to that only accepts applicants with a perfect score on their SAT’s, and you had trouble just finding the testing center let alone passing the math section? They stay up late every night studying with you until your resume looks just as impressive as they think you are. 2% is more than enough for your tribe to put their hope in you, and join your team.
My 2% tribe has done everything from saving me from a bad haircut choice, to caring for me in a way that few people can. For as long as I could remember, going to graduate school for writing was an unquenchable desire of mine. I couldn’t even articulate why it was so important, but something in me knew it was what I was meant to do. Unfortunately, every school I applied to over the course of 5 years didn’t agree. When I opened the last rejection letter, I reluctantly concluded that perhaps, maybe, I had been wrong. My 2% tribe wasn’t having it. They assaulted me with phone calls, with emails. My literarily inclined tribe members read through my manuscripts and declared every admissions counselor impaired. The better editors gave me some quiet instruction on what parts may need to be re-worked. We drank wine, we laughed together, and they reinstituted my confidence. It is because of them I recognized that some rejections here and there can’t keep you from realizing your dreams.
You may not think you need someone to back you up, keep you grounded, encourage you or reel you in. Bear my story in mind. And if it’s hard to relate to, just remember Deb’s side pony. I rest my case.
