Mastermind: a Shortcut to Success

How to join or create a mastermind group

In his famous book, “Think and Grow Rich”, Napoleon Hill defined a mastermind as “the coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.”

Ever since mastermind groups have been very popular with those who want to achieve more through the support of like-minded people.

Photos here and further: Gil Petersil’s mastermind sessions

Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John Tolkien were all members of mastermind groups. They proved that behind every significant creation there is a group of great minds who inspired each other and merged their knowledge and skills to achieve a common goal.

Among contemporary masterminders, there are such world changers as Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey.

Why join a mastermind group?

A mastermind will help you find solutions to any challenge, achieve any goal and see your life or business from a whole new perspective. All thanks to being a part of the group where people contribute their individual mindsets, experiences, and expertise. Here are some other important reasons why it is worth joining such a group:

• Support

Sometimes a person who is going after a big goal feels like a lone warrior. Being in a mastermind is exactly the opposite. It implies having like-minded peers who are always ready to offer help and inspiration.

• Insights and revolutionary ideas

You receive and give feedback to other members of the group and help them reach their goals. They offer advice and suggest ideas so that you can progress to a new level. Thus, you get regular mental investment in you, your growth and development.

• Access to new resources and networks

Your peers introduce you to the people in their networks. Now you have all the important contacts to solve your tasks quicker and easier.

How to set goals before joining a mastermind group?

It is obvious that a person who wants to become a member of such a group wants global changes in life. However, it sounds rather vague. Saying “I want global changes in life” is like going for Christmas shopping and asking the shop assistant for “some beautiful and useful gift.”

The good news is that any goal, even an abstract one, can be specified. If you want changes, ask yourself these 4 questions.

Question 1. Where are you now?

Analyze your business and your life in general. How satisfied are you with what is happening? Write down your thoughts. Even if they upset you, it’s okay. After all, each route must have a starting point.

Question 2. Where do you want to be?

Many find it difficult to answer this question, especially with regard to business. Indeed, no one knows what the economic situation or other circumstances are going to be like.

Just use your imagination. Imagine that in a year your business is at the peak of prosperity, and you yourself are at the highest point of financial well-being. Write down the feelings and images that come to your mind. They will help you determine the point B where you want to be.

Question 3. Why do you want to do that?

You should have good reasons to aim for point B as well as pure intentions. Be as honest with yourself as possible. For example, you want to expand your business. What for? Maybe you are still angry with your former business partner who has left you and you want to even the score. But the revenge will not bring you joy or prosperity. If your goal is to increase profits, create new jobs, bring more value to the customers, these are all good intentions.

Question 4. What do you need to do to be where you want to be?

This is exactly where you don’t have to know the answer. If you decide to join a mastermind group, its members will help you make a plan of your growth, introduce you to the right people and give you a whole collection of brilliant ideas that will take you to a new level.

Once you have dealt with these 4 questions, choose the right mastermind group and join it.

But what if you can’t find one? Moreover, you are a born leader and are used to uniting people around you. In this case, the only way out is to create your own mastermind group. Here are some tips on how to do it quickly and efficiently.

How to create your own mastermind group

1. Decide on the purpose

What challenges do you face? They can relate to any sphere of your life: health, money, relationships, spiritual development, etc. Determine the main area in which you need changes as well as the exact changes that you need.

2. Invite members to join your group

Members of the mastermind group should be chosen with great care. I always do this on the basis of a personal interview. Here are the main criteria that participants must meet:

• the system of values similar to yours
• willingness to give, not just receive
• an open mind and readiness to act

Another important point: the members of the mastermind group should be about the same level. You have to admit that a multimillionaire might not get enough value from the company of startuppers. However, if the people have the same status but work in different industries, they are more than welcome to join the same group.

3. Agree on the rules

This is necessary for the comfort of everyone in the group. For example, it is important to attend every session, give each participant the same amount of time to speak and not to interrupt each other. This is the most basic set of rules. You can modify it as you please.

4. Meet regularly

This is the main key to the success of any mastermind group. You can’t just meet from time to time. It doesn’t matter how often you meet, once a week or once a month. The most important thing is consistency. Therefore, at the first session, approve the schedule and follow it strictly.

So, why is a mastermind a shortcut to success? Perhaps you have a difficult task that you have been trying to solve for years. Now imagine that it can actually be solved during one mastermind session.

It will happen because a mastermind group is a colossal accumulation of knowledge and experience.

It is likely that other participants have already faced a challenge similar to yours, so they will immediately offer a way to meet it. And if not, the solution will come from the power of the collective mind and unique individual viewpoints.

With the help of masterminding, you will not only solve existing problems but also get a lot of new ideas and useful contacts. Entrepreneurs have noticed many times that their participation in the mastermind group works miracles both on them personally and on their business.

Are you ready for miracles? Then see you at mastermind sessions!