Pack Mentality
What animals—and people—teach us about belonging and strength.
Close enough to help; far enough not to trip.-Photo by Rob McKeever.
Have you ever stopped to watch a group of animals?
It’s exciting to follow a pack and notice how they interact.
Some talk with each other, while others lead by example. From birth, everyone knows their place—and the group works together for the good of all.
Rarely does one try to do everything alone. The strength of the pack lies in its ability to work as a team. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
I’ve watched how animals move together: no speeches, just signals. No one does everything. Everyone does something.
Lessons from a Pack
Roles beat ego. The lead doesn’t lead forever. Strength rotates.
Spacing matters. Close enough to help; far enough not to trip each other.
Signals save energy. A glance, a stop, a change of pace—communication without drama.
Share the carry: food, water, stories, responsibilities. Load-sharing keeps everyone moving.
How I Use This
At home: ask, “What’s your piece and what’s mine?” Clear roles lower friction.
On teams: decide the pace together; sprinting alone leaves others behind.
Personally, it’s okay to fall back and draft sometimes. Rest is strategic, not lazy.
Out here, the strongest isn’t the one out front—it’s the group that stays together.
The Flip Side of a Pack
I was on a live-fire exercise in boot camp. As the assistant patrol leader, it was my responsibility to back up the senior patrol leader.
But in this instance, the guy in charge didn’t want to listen—because I was a female. I tried to tell him we were going the wrong way, but he wouldn’t hear it.
Thankfully, God kept us safe on our way to our destination. When we got there, the drill instructors wanted to know what had happened. I told them plainly: the senior patrol leader wouldn’t listen to me.
That day taught me the danger of ignoring the truth. Nature teaches the same lesson—when an animal breaks from the pack, it becomes vulnerable.
But following the pack blindly can be just as dangerous.
Being an individual animal makes it easier for predators to pick them off one by one. But there are times when the pack mentality turns dangerous—when it becomes an excuse to do something you’d never do alone.
Just because “everyone else is doing it” doesn’t make it right.
Too many stories tell of groups blindly following a leader into trouble—out of fear of being left out, or a craving to belong.
There are times when going with the crowd is wise.
But the line is crossed when it breaks the law or goes against God’s Word.
Stop and think before you join the pack. Is it for the right reasons?
A Word of Caution
Remember, there are always consequences if you choose to go against what you know is right.
One wrong step in the field—or one poor choice in life—can change everything. That’s why wisdom matters as much as belonging.
Strength comes from belonging—but so does wisdom in choosing the right path. Tomorrow, we’ll close with hope: the light at the end of the tunnel.