Shane Jordan On The Importance Of Surrounding Yourself With Like-Minded Individuals

It goes without saying that people are social creatures and crave making connections and nurturing relationships. And making connections with other people is often a significant factor to success. Throughout history, almost every person who has achieved notable success attributed a portion of that success to other people — people who served as their inspiration and especially people who were their support.

And Jordan experienced firsthand how a negative environment can have a huge impact on a person’s dreams and self-esteem. Today, he is an activist, and writer, with over twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry working on music and film projects and winning awards along the way. Still, before all that, he was just a rising star trying to make a name for himself.

Those were tough times for Jordan, as back then, some people in the industry weren’t exactly welcoming toward young and gay people. Jordan had already escaped his parents’ clutches, hoping to find a safe haven within all that glam, but he only found more hate.

“I left my home because my family was very religious and judgmental, which is not really a great place for a gay person,” he says. “I was drawn into the entertainment industry by all its glam and shine, hoping that I would find a place where I would be accepted, but I was wrong. Not everyone was welcoming toward gay people back then, and I felt like I was pushed around and always away from the spotlight.”

Even though he was discouraged at first, Jordan knew deep inside his heart that he could succeed and that the hate he was experiencing was just another obstacle to overcome. He knew there had to be people out there who supported equality and loved people for who they were, and after some time, he managed to find them.

“That was one of the first and biggest challenges I had to overcome in my life. And it’s not easy when everyone around you is constantly demeaning you and dragging you down,” says Jordan. “You start to doubt yourself and your abilities, and your dreams start to feel so far away. But I was able to overcome that challenge when I found my tribe, my group of like-minded people who support equality and love people for who they are.”

And thanks to technology, the internet, and social media, finding like-minded individuals in today’s world has become easier. With a few taps on their screens, people can quickly reach thousands of others who have the same interests and similar drives and are not afraid to give support to those who need it.

But Jordan points out that before trying to find the tribe they belong to, people need to sort out their goals and define their values. Unless they set themselves first, they will have a hard time making genuine connections with others, which might discourage them from trying again.

“Without knowing your goals and values, the search can often be frustrating and time consuming,” says Jordan. “How can you expect to find something if you don’t know what you are looking for in the first place?”

Still, Jordan explains that in the end, the effort will pay off, because when a person finally meets their need for love and belonging, the journey to success becomes less difficult. All that is left is to stop listening to the naysayers and boldly take that first step toward the dream.

“Keep away from the negative people and pessimists. Their view is crooked, and they don’t want to see anyone else succeed. That’s why they will only be a burden and weigh you down on your journey to success,” shares Jordan. “If you want to make your journey to success easier, you need like-minded people around you. And when you find your tribe, you will know it because those people will selflessly help you achieve your dreams. However, don’t forget that you should be one helping them too.”