Season 3 – epiBLOG 13:
Think & Grow Rich! It seems like an easy enough concept, right? And I suppose it is. “Think,” place your hand on your chin, look up into the imaginary “thought bubble,” and money should just materialize into your pockets, hands, and bank account so that you can magically be “rich.” Beautiful idea, right?
All jokes aside, some people experience success due to changing their perception of money and who they are in relation to money. However, what if there was one thing –- one ingredient — that is missing from your recipe for success that is stopping you from achieving what you’re looking for? Wouldn’t you want to find out exactly what that missing ingredient is? I would.
Today’s topic is about what Mastermind Groups are and how to effectively utilize them within your business endeavors.
I’ve read through the book Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill a few times at different points in my life. Obviously, I get something new out of it based on life experiences and what I know about the world at that particular time. It’s definitely a book that I would recommend reading only after you read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin.
The reason that I say this is because it’s so much easier to understand and willingly accept the content in Think & Grow Rich if you first focus on strengthening your inner qualities and removing most, if not all, of your limiting beliefs that hold you back from accomplishing your goals. Reading those other books FIRST will allow you to be a lot more open-minded to the concepts in Think & Grow Rich, and will allow you to apply them more effectively.
One of the concepts that Napoleon Hill discusses is the idea of having a Mastermind Group. This was something that I internally fought against for the longest because I didn’t know where I was going to find a group of ambitious people who would want to meet on a consistent basis to discuss ideas. Because of this, I felt annoyed at times because I felt like Napoleon was saying that I could never be successful unless I had a Mastermind Group. I didn’t like the idea of my success being based on the actions of other people. In a sense, we always need the help and support of others, but there isn’t any ONE particular individual that can stop me from accomplishing what I want. Realizing this helped to change my perception of Mastermind Groups. Individually, we can achieve certain goals, but what sort of success can you imagine with a supportive and ambitious team and a like-minded spirit?
So, what is a Mastermind Group? It is a group of three to six ambitious people who meet consistently to share ideas and support one another’s ambitions in a structured environment for about one hour for each meeting. Support can be for business, career, or personal depending on what is agreed upon by the group.
You don’t want to have more than six people because the meetings would end up being longer than an hour in order to have adequate enough time for people to share. This could get overwhelming and the meeting may end up feeling rushed, which will lose a big part of the group’s purpose, which is to allow everyone in the group to be heard and to receive adequate feedback.
I’ve been a part of a Mastermind Group consistently for the past seven months. We meet for one hour every two weeks through video conference (Zoom) and support each other’s endeavors and goals. Some groups can meet once a month, some can meet once a week. Again, it depends upon the needs of the group and what each group member agrees upon. You don’t want it to become a “hassle” in your existing schedule; instead, it should complement what you’re already doing in business and/or within your career.
You can use video conference like my group does, a teleconference, a combination of the two, or simply meet in person if you can easily do this. Don’t let distance stop you from having a Mastermind Group. I live in San Diego, California and one of my group members lives in Florida. Anything is possible. Just keep an opened mind, which I believe artists are great at doing.
Nevertheless, artists may mistakenly believe that attending a screening of a film that they’ve been a part of or attending a gallery showcasing a piece of his or her art is just like a Mastermind Group. I hate to break the news to you, but it’s not the same. Screenings, visiting galleries, and networking events are all equally important to attend because you’re supporting artists and you’re connecting with new people. However, a Mastermind Group is supportive and specifically focused on helping one another grow and to move forward. Bouncing ideas off of others will give you insight. Asking questions and getting feedback will lead to forward movement and the manifestation of your goals.
My group has four people, including myself. We each take a turn sharing what is “new and good” with us since we last met. We then each take a turn sharing a current problem that we need a solution for and wait to get feedback from the other group members. We also take turns with stating whether or not we accomplished the goals that we set for ourselves from the last meeting and then state a new set of goals that we would like to accomplish by the next meeting. The goals are our own personal/career goals. We finally conclude the meeting by giving sincere gratitude to each of the other three group members. Each of these actions is timed by a person who is assigned the “timekeeper” role for that week, and that’s how we are able to get a lot accomplished within one hour.
Artists should definitely want to take advantage of having a trusting Mastermind Group to be a part of. How often do writers, musicians, designers, or sculptors feel all alone? There’s only so much support your friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse can offer. A Mastermind Group will keep you focused and help to give you the confidence you need as you move forward into uncharted territory. Just remember, it’s important that you’re giving as much as you’re getting from the group because you want the experience to be a win for everybody.
Having a Mastermind Group has been one of the most valuable assets that I could have added to my business as a writer/filmmaker. The people in my group offer wonderful feedback and support, and I only hope that I give them the same.
Today’s LESSON is to find a support system that will help you to support your goals and endeavors.
FUN ASSIGNMENT: Start your very own Mastermind Group. Be picky about who you want in the group. You’re looking for ambitious, like-minded individuals that also want to make great things happen with you.
RECOMMENDED READING: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin, and Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill,
Share This
Share this post with your friends!