Mastermind Groups - A Simple Strategy for Building a Stronger, More Profitable Business

One of the most challenging parts of owning a business is growing it. In fact, many entrepreneurs get stuck because there is so much to learn and do. Today, more entrepreneurs are realizing the value of business alliances. It is important to have a good network as you move your company to the next phase. This article describes seven key benefits of connecting with your peers in a business mastermind group.


Have someone to exchange business ideas. Creative ideas and witty inventions come naturally for many entrepreneurs. But knowing when to act on them is the part that can be overwhelming. Connecting with a mastermind group is one way to get feedback about new product or service ideas so that you can chart your next course of action.
Find solutions to business challenges. When you have big dreams for your business you may run into forks in the road. It's in those times that you need a sounding board. Members of a mastermind can relate to business challenges because many have faced similar situations and can offer you sound advice.

Give your spouse a break from business talk. Anyone who is married knows that there are very few people who understand your urge to talk business. Daily conversations are often consumed with issues about running your company. It is difficult to transition from business to personal talk at home so having a peer group to talk things out helps keep business separate from personal life at home.

Support the dreams of others. It is wonderful to have a supportive network that can help stretch you beyond where you are currently. But it is also gratifying to give back to those who help you along the way. Sharing resources, tools, tips, and advice is how mastermind groups allow you to support your peers.

Learn about things from others experience. There is a lot to learn when you are an entrepreneur. New methods of doing things, resources to improve operations, and other helpful ideas are evolving at lightening speed. Joining a business alliance increases efficiency through the sharing of tips, tools, and resources among the group.

Have someone to be accountable to. Setting goals is a habit that leads to business success. Visionaries can see the finished line long before their team. As a result, it's important to have someone who can hold you accountable for taking steps to get there.

Discipline. When you put your dreams on display you naturally feel a sense of responsibility for making them happen. Regular meetings with your group helps you stay focused on the tasks that you set so that you do not get sidetracked by the attractions that can detour you from your path.

Now that you know the value of a mastermind, how can you implement this strategy to grow your business? To learn about more ways to build a thriving company, visit http://www.tbsusa.com.

Copyright (c) 2010 Benita Tyler

TBS USA is committed to helping small business owners by providing proven financial management strategies to help them achieve their profit goals, minimize tax liabilities, and build wealth. Business advice and tax tips are available at http://www.tbsusa.com

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5 Amazing Benefits of Masterminding

Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, studied the richest men of the early 1900's and wrote this book as part of his research (if you haven't read it already, I highly recommend it). One of the common practices of all of the wealthy men he researched was that they participated in a Mastermind with other like-minded men. These Mastermind groups served the purpose of helping the participants solve problems and move forward in their goals, making them more wealthy and successful.

"Mastermind as coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose," is how Napoleon Hill describes the Mastermind idea he studied. "This form of cooperative alliance (the Mastermind) has been the basis of nearly every great fortune. Your understanding of this great truth may definitely determine your financial status."

Today, women entrepreneurs are designing new models of the Mastermind - and the results are more powerful than ever before. Being a women entrepreneur and being a member of a high-level Mastermind group, I'm a huge believer in the Mastermind model (in addition to private coaching) because it connects me with like-minded, big vision people and has tripled my success as an entrepreneur. I get to offer my point of view to my Mastermind group, and I receive solutions from the most extraordinary people.

When we try to create a profitable business on our own, it's too easy to get overwhelmed, frustrated, isolated, and stuck. When entrepreneurs are in this place, they often begin to think that maybe there is something wrong with them (you may be able to relate to this). But, the real truth is there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. In fact, the real truth is that you have a profound message to share that will help people transform their lives. I know, deep in your heart, you long to get this message out in the world in a BIG WAY!

But what exactly is a Mastermind? And how do you know if it's for you?

Below are five elements of a Mastermind group. This will give you an idea of how they work so you can decide whether or not you would like to form a Mastermind or join one.

1. A Mastermind allows you to see a much bigger vision for yourself and moves you forward, allowing you to take much bigger leaps.

Mastermind is about creating consistent, forward momentum and helping you achieve your dreams and goals. A Mastermind group brings out the things that are within you that you cannot see for yourself. Masterminds are different than support groups. Support groups are wonderful to heal from past trauma, but Masterminds are not about healing.

Mastermind groups are about growing, taking big leaps, and being willing to live out your fullest potential and playing your biggest game. People who try to form casual Mastermind's often end up disappointed. Casual Masterminds are much different than a Mastermind group with strong coaching and high-level teaching of mindset, systems and marketing. All members have to hold that level of energy, commitment, desire, and set an intention to keep that momentum. This is not always an easy task!

2. A Mastermind Group is about powerful shifts in your mindset. Complaining, excuse-making and whining are not options!

In a Mastermind, each person gets a "hot seat" to present her big vision for her business and life to the group. She presents her goals, dreams, and challenges. Tears often happen, as she is releasing fearful energy that, up to this point, has kept her stuck and realizing the time is NOW to move forward.

Complaining, excuses-making, whining, and the feelings of staying stuck quickly dissolve. You are not only heard and fully supported, you are also given you need to gain clarity and move forward. Mindsets are a huge part of the Mastermind.

3. A Mastermind Group is about growth and expansion out of your comfort zone.

Most people desire expansion and growth. People who join a Mastermind know in their gut that, without growth for their purpose and dreams, they'll die a slow death. When you take part in a Mastermind, you will be expanded and stretched. This excites people because they know on the other side of their comfort zone is huge growth. In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons people want to take part in a Mastermind! They know the results they have had from staying within their comfort zones and not satisfactory. Masterminds are very effective because they require you to expand out of your comfort zone so you get the results you want (let's get serious - helping more people, more money, more personal freedom, and the business you love!).

4. A Mastermind Group offers support and holds you accountable.

For me personally, I am showing up for my life and business in a way I have never done before as a result of being part of a Mastermind. The results I am achieving are mind blowing! So much, in fact, I won the recent "Implementation Challenge" amongst my Mastermind group.

You see, creating a clear vision, having systems, and deciding and taking action are my strengths, and Masterminding has made these strengths even stronger. (Actually, this is one reason why my clients love me as their coach. I move them from being stuck to achieving freedom through clarity, systems, deciding, and action.)

5. A Mastermind creates a huge space for new ideas, implementation, and resources. It's a relationship of giving and receiving.

Each person is fully present and committed to supporting their Mastermind group. >When each person gives their full focus and attention to one person and her dreams, brilliant ideas spark and solutions are offered. Challenges are no more - that is the power of the group. Resources and connections are often discovered in the process. This is just some of the tremendous value and benefit of taking part in a Mastermind.

There is something incredibly powerful about being amongst a group of 'Big Visionaries' within the Mastermind.

Napoleon Hill put it this way: "No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind."

The intention with the Mastermind group taps into a higher source of intelligence and creativity, naturally guiding the group and moving it forward together. A greater awareness happens.

The awareness of this "third" mind helps me trust and access the knowing from within. Therefore, I am able to walk into fear and trust there is something bigger happening on the other side of fear.

Being part of a Mastermind is the greatest gift I could have ever given my business. It was an investment and risk I knew I had to take if I ever wanted to grow my business to a point where I could help more women and produce a larger income. Without risk, there is no reward.

Empowerment Expert, and Master Certified Coach Karen Fagan publishes her "Live in Your Brilliance" weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live bold, brilliant and rich in your life and business, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Live in Your Brilliance at http://www.karenfagan.com. Want to see more secret tips? See Karen's blog at http://www.karenfagan.com/blog/

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Mastermind Your Way to Success - Henry Ford & Thomas Edison Belonged to a Mastermind, Why Not You?

There's a popular saying that says that two heads are better than one. The truth to this old adage is one of the reasons that there are more people than ever participating in a popular new concept called masterminding.

If you haven't participated in one yet, consider finding a mastermind group to increase your chances of success. In one of the most influential business books ever written, Think and Grow Rich author Napoleon Hill wrote "No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind."

Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone (of Firestone tire fame) and John Burroughs (a famous American naturalist) were co-members of a mastermind group. Their legacies are testament to the power of this invisible, intangible force.

In a mastermind group, your peers give you feedback, help you brainstorm new possibilities and set up accountability structures that keep you focused and on track. By participating you create a community of supportive colleagues who brainstorm together to move each individual and the group to new heights.

Additional benefits of joining a mastermind include: clarity, leveraging the group's ability to produce new and better ideas; challenge; help with decision making; a supportive network, both in mastermind meetings and outside them; new friendships; the ability to tap the experience of others; increased confidence; progress in your business and personal life and a decreased sense of isolation that pervades our technological culture, especially solopreneurs and small business people.

Groups can meet either in person, or by phone. Schedules vary, some meet twice a year, others twice a month. A commitment to the length of the mastermind group is always expected, because like most relationships, it takes time to bond, and to trust others as you help each other move rapidly towards your goals. Most masterminds require a minimal commitment of three months. There is little tolerance for missing a meeting, because of the knowledge that all participants add to creating this powerful, "invisible, intangible force." Group numbers are often limited, which allows members to bond and work deeply on their goals and challenges in a small group environment. Lastly, participants are asked to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect the privacy of every participant.

Intrigued about the concept of mastermind, wanting to join the ranks of Ford, Edison and Firestone? To determine whether or not now is the right time to join a mastermind, ask yourself the following questions:

Are you ready to grow personally and professionally?

Are you looking for a supportive and encouraging community of like-minded folks?

Are you ready and motivated to focus more on your life and/or business?

Are you willing to invest everything it takes to create the life and business that you want?

Can you commit to meeting at a regular time and participating full out?

Does your desire for a fuller life exceed your fear of change?

Are you committed to being supportive, and to keeping the confidences of other members of the group?

Are you willing to both ask for help, learn from your peers and to give as much as you receive?

If your answers to most of these questions are yes, then consider joining a mastermind. You won't regret it.

Kathy Santini, the CEO of Savvy About Success knows that success leaves clues, making it easy to model and replicate. She takes the mystery out of success by showing success-oriented individuals and business owners how to be more successful by teaching them what successful people know and do.

As a coach/educator, Kathy offers coaching, group coaching and mastermind programs, and hosts teleseminars and telesummits on the subject of success.

To learn more about her offerings, to subscribe to her weekly Ezine, full of success tips or to get your own copy of her FREE report, 101 Ways to Become More Successful - Learn What Successful People Know and Do visit http://SavvyAboutSuccess.com

Kathy's expertise has been profiled in Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, on Canada's national broadcaster, CBC Radio; in newspapers across North America and on radio stations across Canada. She is a former coaching columnist for The Business Examiner Newspaper and Exceptionalife Magazine, has written guest columns and articles for various publications and been a guest on numerous TV programs.

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Mastermind Groups - The Benefits of Masterminding

Mastermind groups have been a popular subject of discussion since Napoleon Hill wrote about them in his famous book, Think and Grow Rich. A mastermind group is a forum in which goals may be made manifest with greater speed and in greater measure than would be possible were its members to conceive and pursue them separately.

Such a group exists for more than the fulfillment of simple goals, however. It's about challenging its members to expand and grow who they are. A successful mastermind group produces a consistent experience whereby its members come to know themselves as better people, capable of more than they ever would have imagined previously.

However, the word "mastermind" has been misused and come to identify with an inaccurate picture. It's not intended to depict the idle discussion of "someday" fantasies, nor are they for simple brainstorming. While the discussion of ideas is one component of a mastermind group, more critical is the framework for bringing them into tangible reality.

Masterminding is also not to be confused with a simple accountability group, such as a group of individuals who hold each other to account to show up at the gym five times per week for their workouts. Mastermind groups also generate by design one other critical element: inspiration. Inspiration and accountability go hand in hand. Without consistent action, no one is likely to remain inspired very long. Without a spark of inspiration, little action is likely to occur.

The structure of a mastermind group is unimportant if these intentions and principles are kept at the forefront. A mastermind group can be virtually any shape or size. A Toastmasters club, a business networking group, a network marketing business, a 12-step addiction recovery group, or any other group of people can all employ the principles of masterminding without changing a thing about their existing structure.

All that's needed is to periodically ask some fundamental questions about the mastermind.


Do I know the personal goals of everyone in this group?
Do I see measurable steps being taken toward the fulfillment of those goals?
Does it appear that this group continues to inspire its members day after day?

If the answer to those questions is "no," look to see what you could bring to the table to change that. Or, consider leaving the group.

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A Place to Network and Recruit for Your Mastermind Group

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Create Momentum With Your Own Mastermind

When I first heard the term master mind alliance, I immediately thought of the Star Wars movie series. I don't know why, but thoughts of the Jedi Counsel popped into my head. I know that must sound a little silly, but stick with me for a minute. Those Jedi Knights were some powerful warriors, but it wasn't muscular strength that made them what they were. It was the power of focusing their mental energy, and tapping into the force that gave them power. They were an elite group of special people who were selective about the folks they allowed to join. As a cohesive, like-minded unit they were also able to achieve great things together! Are you smelling what I'm cooking yet? You can also create momentum with your own mastermind alliance to build your home based business!

While you are working on developing your network marketing team, a group like this would be quite beneficial! The act of getting together with other networkers who share the same goals, work ethic, and desire to succeed is just what you may need to get your business vehicle driving down the right road. It is said that your income will be the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are you spending your time with?

The average person is spending between forty and sixty hours per week at work, probably at a job they don't like, with other people that don't like their job either. They go to lunch with each other, and complain to one another about their boss, their pay, and their lack of vacation time. They look forward to the weekend, and then dread going back to work on Monday. Does this sound like you?

Now envision a small group of entrepreneurs inspiring and encouraging each other. Keeping each other in the right frame of mind, and focused. Pointing all of their mental energy toward reaching a common goal, and holding each other accountable. Now, there's no mystical force to learn how to tap into. The only thing to tap into is yourself, your dream, and a healthy dose of personal development. There's no Yoda, but John Maxwell, Jim Rohn, or Chris Widener are all just as readily available to provide direction and instruction.

The sooner you find those few dedicated business partners that want the same level of success you do, the sooner you can get your own mastermind alliance up and running. Think of it like this, wolves always run in a pack. Find pack mates that share your vision, create that momentum for your business, and soon you'll be howling at the moon for the success you achieve!

For more of the training you need to succeed with your home based business, visit http://www.networkersnest.com. Get a free copy of the Ebook, "Achieving Success With The You Inc. Business Model" when you sign up for the site. Go now!

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Its Not What You Know, Its Who You Know

In business, you often hear the statement "It's Not What You know, It's Who You know!"

Napoleon Hill introduced the concept of a mastermind group in the early 1900's. In his timeless classic "Think and Grow Rich", he wrote the Mastermind Principle: "the coordination of knowledge and the effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony." Hill also wrote, "No two minds come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind".

The powerful result of a mastermind group is that there is a synergy of energy and excitement that participants bring to the group therefore raising the bar by challenging and encouraging other members to create and implement their goals.

Being part of a mastermind group has proven to have many benefits to entrepreneurial success:

- Idea Sharing, Creativity and Brainstorming Information is one of the most powerful assets a person can posses and having the ability to leverage other people's information is exponentially better. Each group member will come with different experiences, perspectives and ideas that will most likely be your next big money making idea. The ability to brainstorm and be creative with a group of people all focused on helping you solve a problem is one of the biggest benefits you will experience from a mastermind group.

- Accountability and Responsibility Most goals are not achieved because (as business owners) we are not held accountable to anyone to achieve them. It is our business and we want to procrastinate or put task on the backburner because of other operational issues we deal with, which is our prerogative, right? The second biggest benefit of a mastermind group is that they hold you accountable to reach your goals and monitor your actions to ensure you are on the right path. They act as sounding boards, gatekeepers and test groups while asking you where you stand with your plan.

- Motivational Support Staying positive and motivated is a big challenge for some business owners especially after the excitement of starting a business has worn off and the business becomes work. Businesses have many different sides and not everything runs smoothly all the time. This can be very frustrating and cause many entrepreneurs to lose their motivation. By surrounding yourself with a mastermind group, you will receive positive encouragement no matter how you perform and the active discussions you will participate in will most likely inspire and stimulate you to move forward.

- Networking and Business Relationships A big part of being in a mastermind group is developing solid relationships with your group members. These relationships have been proven to last a lifetime and can be the catalyst for millions of dollars. You will form friendships and connections that will provide you more than just business benefits; they will provide you with a sense of belonging and being part of something special.

- Additional Resources In a year where time is money, having access to additional resources is critical to any business owner's success. By connecting with peers in your mastermind group, you will be provided with access to the resources that others in your group are using to achieve similar results. This will reduce the time required to find alternative solutions as well as the learning curve usually associated with implementing new solutions. Not to mention you will save time working within a group versus trying to figure something out on your own.

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Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the BLAST system and publishes "The Marketing Edge" a FREE award winning ezine for small business owners who want to gain the competitive edge with strategic marketing and branding techniques that actually work. Find out the 23 Common Mistakes Most Entrepreneurs make with a FREE report offered at www.KellieDandrea.com .

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How to Develop a Mastermind

The idea of a mastermind alliance is based on the principle of leveraging. In essence it says that 2 minds are better than one. If you don't know how to do something there's a chance that a member of your alliance might. There is great strength in numbers as long you are directed toward a similar aim.

Before Your Form A Mastermind Alliance

Know where you're headed before beginning a journey. You want to join minds with like-minded people. How can you find a like-minded person if you won't know what your mind is like?

Adopt a definite major purpose. Know what God placed you here for. We each have a part to play. Figure out your role or else you won't know who to seek out. The birds of a feather saying holds true. You need an aim in mind in order to attract similar people.

Form A Mastermind With Knowledge

You can form a mastermind with prose. Fall in love with the library. Become a voracious reader. Use the internet. You have access to unlimited free resources. Tap into the minds of Einstein, Emerson, Buddha, Gandhi. Study leaders. Immerse yourself in their stories. By studying these people in depth you form a mastermind with them. You begin to adopt some of their characteristics.

Form An Alliance With Leaders Of Your Industry

Whoever leads your chosen field should be your friend. Pursue them. Be bold. Leaders appreciate boldness since it's a quality which successful people adopt.

To become the best learn from the best. Don't waste your time making unnecessary mistakes. Use the master's mind. The majority of mentors are more than willing to help you. Tap into their knowledge base.

Form A Mastermind With Friends Or Loved Ones

Just because your friend isn't a titan of industry doesn't mean they can't provide valuable support. Those closest to us know us the best. They can sense when we're heading in the wrong direction and they are the only ones who we trust to tell us that it's so.

Here's the caveat: their goals must be similar to yours. They must be a positive person. They should have drive. A well meaning but misinformed person will hurt your chances of becoming successful. They might tell you to take it easy when it's time to move into overdrive because they fear for your well-being.

You Can't Do It On Your Own

No matter how hard you try it's virtually impossible to become successful on your own. We're all in this together. Form a mastermind to multiply your mind power.

Ryan Biddulph is an entrepreneur and motivational author who inspires people to obliterate their limitations. Use the personal development program which transformed him from an unemployed secruity guard into an influential webpreneur Wealth Beyond Reason

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7 Steps on How to Start a Mastermind

You have heard it said, "Two are better than one," well when it comes to masterminding it turns out that 12 can be even better still.

The concept of the Mastermind Group originally came from Napoleon Hill and his book "Think and Grow Rich," first published back in 1937. The idea is simple yet powerful. The goal is to surround yourself with a group of people who share similar interests and desires. As you meet together you share ideas, hold one another accountable and use your collective brains to help one another out. The only problem with Mastermind Groups is that they can be hard to find. I mean when was the last time you dropped by a friends house only to find them immersed in their Mastermind Group. Chances are this has never happened. If you can't find one you can always go ahead and start one yourself. Here are a few tips to guide the process.


Find the people - You want the right people in your group. Mostly you are looking for individuals as committed to personal growth as you are If you are an entrepreneur then you may want to find other entrepreneurs or small business owners to team up with. A lot of associations will not allow more than one person per trade to join their group, but in masterminding this is not necessary. I have seen groups made up completely of individuals who are competing with each other for business. Start getting word out, you'll be surprised at how many of your friends or colleagues will be interested in the idea.

When, Where, and How often. - It's a good idea to commit to a time period like one year or 6 months. This gives people a starting and ending date. People are busy enough so don't have too many meetings. Once a month is fine. Try and schedule all of them when you first begin i.e. "We'll meet the last Thursday of every month."

Size - This one's up to you. Mastermind Groups can consist of two or even 20. However the bigger they are the harder they are to manage. I think an ideal size is 6-10 people but as I said it's really up to you.

Ask for a commitment - This is essential. If you don't ask for a minimum attendance commitment you will soon be having half the group show up at your meetings. Even the most driven and committed among us sometimes wane in their convictions. Make sure you all agree up front what you want to commit to.

Format - There is no standard here and the possibilities are only limited by your creativity. Some groups have every member chair at least one meeting taking the responsibility of setting the agenda as well. The agenda can include a short talk or discussion on a relevant topic (i.e. goal setting, or marketing strategies) a brainstorming session, or problem solving for one of the members. Usually there is also a time for each member to publicly commit to one action item between now and the next meeting as well as accountability regarding the commitments made since the last meeting.

Keep it fresh - Like anything, Mastermind Groups can fall into a rut from time to time. Keep your meetings alive by being creative. Have great food, change the theme, rotate locations, or invite a guest speaker to address the group. Again the sky is the limit; just don't deviate too far from the original purpose of the group.
Have Fun - There is no point in doing it if you can't have a lot of fun. During a dead month like December go and do something social together.

Mastermind groups can help accelerate your own personal growth and effectiveness if you find the right people to share the journey with. Good luck. Have fun and work hard.

James Robbins is creator of The Summit; the online goal setting game guaranteed to help you reach your peak potential. He delivers keynotes on personal excellence and leadership issues such as employee retention and creating engaging workplaces. To find out more go to www.ontothesummit.com

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Mastermind Group - So What is IT?

First let's talk about what a mastermind group is. When you look it up on the Internet which I am sure you have, you will undoubtedly get a definition that starts with the quote from the Napolean Hill book "Think and Grow Rich, " This has been sighted by many as the beginning of all the rage around mastermind groups in recent years.

He wrote about his experience of interviewing many successful people commissioned by Andrew Carnegie who requested his services and we know what Mr. around for centuries if we just recognize Carnegie accomplished.

I like to suggest that mastermind groups have been e the intent and formations. Another quote comes to mind "When two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them." (Matthew 18:20)

I also imagine that peoples from time immemorial have been masterminding with each other. They sat together and played board games, had quilting circles, socialized at tea parties, joined cigar smoking clubs, hung out in men's groups, shared in women/sister circles, rejuvenated in sweat lodges, and more. All to support, council, guide and help each other. This is collaborative problem solving at its best.

So putting this all together simply, a master mind group is like-minded people working together for the success of each member.

Master mind groups have different focuses determined by the interest of the members; for example: first time business owners, women in small business, solopreneurs, boomer generation retired and more. The formations in 2010 can be very effective when done as a conference call. What type of group do you want to belong to?

Tendai Jordan the Boomin' Boomer, a business woman, and master mind group facilitator committed to the success of each member.

Mastermind: http://tonoaw.com

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What is a Mastermind and Why You Need to Be a Part of One

Having a mastermind group means that you surround yourself with people who have similar goals as yourself. You can have a mastermind group in real life and meet at cafes or at your houses. You can also have an online mastermind group where you talk online in forums, membership sites or with special designed software.

One of the secrets to getting the most out of a such a group is to have people with different way of thoughts, but with the same goals and dreams. For example, you need someone who is already where you want to be in the future and you need one who is where you where in the past.

When we talk about internet marketing, you could be the one who is on his way to getting a full-time income from the internet, while another person is already making a lot of money online and finally a third person who is just starting out with internet marketing.

If we take a look at an example that differs from internet marketing, we could look at a playgroup. Most often you'll see a few mothers with newborn babies and without older children and you'll see mothers who already have raised a few children.

The fun thing here is that these mothers are forming a mastermind group, without even knowing it. They each give away their knowledge and their experience to the "new" members of the group, while the new mothers are contributing to the group with new ideas and a new way of seeing things.

The above example isn't really that different from an internet marketing mastermind group. They're all passionate about what they do (taking care of their children or making a living online) and they are more than willing to spill out their experience, knowledge and ideas.

Mastermind groups are probably the best way to get your business to the next level. Learning from others is a great way to get to the next level, while passing your knowledge on to the "newbie" is the perfect way to develop yourself and your ideas.

If you aren't already in a mm group (off- or online), take the steps necessary to be a part of one.

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The Six Words that Set Me up for Success

As many of you know by now, I am a strong believer in the power of words.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” – Frank Outlaw

This past year has been an incredible journey for me, both professionally and personally. Working with a powerful and successful business coach is essential when you are serious about growing your business. I’ve heard so many entrepreneurs saying: “I don’t have the time. I don’t have the money. I’ll wait until…….” and many more reasons as to ‘why not’. My take on this: The future is promised to no one!

What if you changed your thinking and took a ‘no excuses approach’ to growing your business – and changing your life? It all starts with the way you think and the words you use. Here are the words that supported my success this past year:

BELIEF

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France, 1844-1924

I am on an aggressive 5-year plan with my business. As I mentioned at the MMBW workshop, I have started my life over and I am no spring chicken right now. Time is of the essence for me. Once I did the research and identified Fabienne as THE business coach for me, I put together a plan – and held firmly to the belief of what was possible.

DECISION

“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” – William James

Last year, at the MMBW, Fabienne presented the information about her master mind groups and distributed applications for membership. I had already made the decision, before even landing in L.A. last year, that I was going to get into her master mind group. If you haven’t read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill – then get it and read it. It is essential for anyone in business. The power of the master mind has been known for generations – but, it is important that you get into the RIGHT master mind group for you. When I saw the price tag for the master mind membership, it would have been very easy for me to start with all the excuses – all the reasons why I couldn’t, or shouldn’t, participate right now. I chose to take a no-excuses approach! I’m in! The results speak for themselves!

FOCUS

“I never could have done without the habit of punctuality, order and diligence………The determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.” – Charles Dickens

I learned very quickly that, to achieve the results that I wanted, I must focus on my talents – my unique abilities. One of the first steps I took was to create a team around me – yes, I know what you’re thinking – “I’m barely making any money so how in the world can I afford to hire a team?” For me, I couldn’t afford NOT to hire a team. It was essential for me to focus on doing my talent and make the money I knew that I could make – and have a team working with me where each person is also focused on their talent. I needed that support in order to succeed. I know have a team of virtual assistants, a book-keeper, an accountant, a travel agent, a house-keeper, etc. etc. etc.

I focus. My time and energy is extremely focused; as a result, I’ve had a phenomenal year! Another book I highly recommend is “The Power of Focus” by Jack Canfield.

ACTION

“Don’t wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there……and light the bloody thing yourself.” – Sara Henderson, b. 1936

I am big on action! While I have studied with some of the best of the best over these past 20+ years, it really comes down to taking action. As Fabienne said at our workshop, ‘he who implements fastest – wins.” And what I continually tell my own clients is that ‘it is not a matter of intellectually knowing – it’s a matter of personally applying the information that you have learned’.

I believe there is a great little book out called “Eat the Big Frog First.” – I love that title. The moral of the story is to look at all of the outstanding items you have on your To Do list, choose the Big Frog (the one that scares you the most, or overwhelms or intimidates you), and get to it. Get ‘er done! Then, the rest is easy-peasy. Try it and you’ll see! (and let me know how this works for you…..ok?)

COMMITMENT

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” – Anon.

I could write a whole book on this one word alone. When I started my journey last year with this particular business coach and my master mind group, I made a commitment – not only to them, which is important – but to me, which is even MORE important! One of my coaching tips is to ‘keep the power of your word’. It’s bad enough when you don’t keep your word to someone else but what does that do for your own integrity. When I commit – I commit. Has it always been easy? NO! Has it been worth it? YES! The beauty of the whole process is that, with a master mind group, I had the full support of many amazing, intelligent, high-achieving women who were there for me, no matter what, no matter when. I had their word. We were all committed to our success plans. What about you? Do you give up when the going gets tough? What causes you to back up and continue to play small? If you’re in business for yourself, are you involved in a master mind group? No one can do it alone – and, why would you want to?

It’s all about the power of your word.

PERSISTENCE

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

I absolutely love this quote and keep it close to my computer. As human beings, we have a habit of ‘comparing the inside of us to the outside of everyone else”. Stop and think about that for a minute. A few months ago, I wrote about the fact that each and every one of us goes out into the public wearing our masks – whichever mask is appropriate for the day and for the situation. We are so busy comparing ourselves to others that we lose sight of our own goals and objectives. I had a long conversation with one of my mentors a few years ago. I was commenting about how ‘lucky’ he was to have everything go his way, thus leading to massive success. He taught me a valuable lesson and it is reflected in the Confucius quote. He told me that it has nothing to do with luck but, rather, the fact that he just tries more things – some were a success – some failed. He doesn’t dwell on the failures. He celebrates, and builds on, the successes. That is what I do now.

There have been many times, over the past few years, when I have felt like giving up. My self-talk would be ‘it’s too hard – I can’t do this – I’m too old – it’s not fair, etc.” I have trained my mind, however, to shift my self-talk to be positive, uplifting and forward thinking. That is essential in order to persist and to reach our goals. Don’t give up – ever! I take it one day at a time.

CONCLUSION

As I reflect on the 6 words that set me up for success, there is one thing that comes to mind. It’s my tag line: “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” Yes, I have some incredible business coaches and a supportive master mind group. But the bottom line is that I am responsible for my success and I am responsible for my happiness – for my life.

Author's Bio

Pat Mussieux has a message of hope and success. For more than 20 years, Pat has studied the internal driving forces that create happiness and success at all levels. She knows what drives women, what inspires them and what it really takes to transform them from the inside out. As a coach, international speaker, author and radio host, she teaches women mindset and marketing techniques to help them figure out what they want to be when they grow up, how to get out of their own way, how to attract more clients, make more money and have more freedom – so they can develop the confidence and courage to live their best life – at any age! Pat is the author of the “Building Confidence and Courage Home Study System” and the book: “Who Am I Now? Simple Steps to Inventing Your Future – After Divorce, Retirement, Death of a Spouse, Empty Nest, etc.”

P.S. Visit my website www.confidenceandcourage.com to get your free CD: “Finding the Confidence and Courage to Live Your Best Life – At Any Age!” and my F.R.E.E. weekly ezine.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/the-six-words-that-set-me-up-for-success

Having A Napoleon Hill Style Mastermind Group Is Essential For Success

Have you ever heard of having a mastermind group to help you in business? Let me tell you exactly what this is, and how it can help you achieve success. It is any group of people larger than 1 person that collaborate together to achieve a common goal. Having more than 1 person working on the same goal would almost always make that goal more attainable.

I want to tell you a little bit about my life and my business before and after I found my mastermind group. Before I realized I needed a mastermind group to actually achieve success, I truly thought that I could do everything on my own. I thought that everyone who wasn’t in my personal team had no potential to help me with my business. I only thought of myself and the money me and my team would make.

I made some money. I had some team member sign-ups. Some of my team had the same type of success. Most of our success faded away until I had no team left, because we didn’t work together the way we should have been.

Then I met the man that would start my first mastermind alliance with me. His vision and goals were so similar, he was truly my brother from another mother. I mean this guy would eat, sleep, and breathe our business. This was all he ever thought about, and I was on the same page. We desired success more than anything else. This mastermind was started shortly after I got done reading Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”.

We would talk quite often throughout the week about anything and everything. We would mastermind about business, personal development, life, and almost anything that affected our lives. We began to build a very strong personal relationship as well. The biggest reason we were able to accomplish more because of this mastermind group was because we promised each other we were going to get things done, and we did get things done.

We then started to encounter other people who were also like-minded and looking for a mastermind group. Thus our group grew some more. We now had 4 minds thinking about how to achieve mlm success rather than just 1 or 2 minds. Note that we weren’t even in the same business opportunity. Our weekly meetings became so packed with knowledge that we decided to open our meetings to the world through live webinars. We are now attracting some much greater minds than our own to our mastermind group because we’re working together to achieve these goals. This is the true power of a mastermind alliance.

In conclusion, the formation of my mastermind group was the best thing that happened for my life and my business. I went from struggling to make money consistently, to now making commissions almost every single day. I went from having to practically search for people to join me, and I now have people swarming towards me to learn from me and join my team. The best thing you could possibly do for your business if you haven’t already is to start attracting your mastermind alliance together.

Jordan Schultz has developed a mastermind group which has helped him achieve great success. Visit his blog to learn how to set up your own Napoleon Hill mastermind and a lot of alternative great network marketing success tips.

http://www.articleplugin.com/category/culturesociety/entrepreneurialism/

The Mastermind Group

I belong to an interesting little group of businesspeople. We call ourselves The Mastermind Group.



Paul Burri
As nearly as I can tell, we stole the idea from something suggested by Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich, written in the 1900s. We may have somewhat mangled Hill’s original idea, but the concept is very simple and it comes from the idea that “two heads are better than one.”

Here’s how ours works. We are a group of five or six local businesspeople who meet for breakfast every two weeks to talk about almost anything but mainly business-related subjects. We never have an agenda, but we always find something of mutual interest to talk about. One week it might be about competition and how to deal with it. Another week, one of the members may be having an employee problem. Still another week, someone may be considering renting or buying a larger facility for his or her business.

The truth is that most small companies have similar problems, even though they might be in vastly different business fields. All businesses have problems relating to customers, employees, suppliers, money, credit, insurance, compliance with various regulations, taxes, insurance, real estate — the list seems endless.

It often turns out that a problem I may be having in my business today is similar to one that another member has had in the past and successfully solved. Or perhaps another member can learn from a mistake I made in the past.



Rarely does anyone go away from a Mastermind breakfast without having learned something useful for his or her business. Beyond the camaraderie of our breakfasts, we have developed a sort of “brotherhood” of businesspeople who we can call or e-mail for help and advice when we need it.

Lastly, and not to be dismissed lightly, is that the group helps dispel the feeling of being all alone in one’s business. This is a phenomenon not often discussed. Many small businesses are owned and operated by a sole owner/manager who often feels all alone with no one to talk to about the day-to-day problems that arise. Sure, he can talk to his wife when he gets home at night, but it’s just not the same as talking to another person facing the same daily issues.

Our little group is always looking for one or two fresh faces. Alternatively, I would be happy to explain how to start and nurture a new Mastermind Group to anyone interested. E-mail me at pburri@west.net.

— Paul Burri is an entrepreneur, inventor, columnist, engineer and iconoclast. He is not in the advertising business, but he is a small-business counselor with the Santa Barbara chapter of Counselors to America’s Small Business-SCORE. The opinions and comments in this column are his alone and do not represent the opinions or policies of any outside organization. He can be reached at pburri@west.net.

http://www.noozhawk.com/paul_burri/article/061310_paul_burri_the_mastermind_group/

Excellent Mastermind Article

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/how-to-start-and-run-a-mastermind-group.html

How to Develop Your Mastermind

The idea of a mastermind alliance is based on the principle of leveraging. In essence it says that 2 minds are better than one. If you don't know how to do something there's a chance that a member of your alliance might. There is great strength in numbers as long you are directed toward a similar aim.

Before Your Form A Mastermind Alliance

Know where you're headed before beginning a journey. You want to join minds with like-minded people. How can you find a like-minded person if you won't know what your mind is like?

Adopt a definite major purpose. Know what God placed you here for. We each have a part to play. Figure out your role or else you won't know who to seek out. The birds of a feather saying holds true. You need an aim in mind in order to attract similar people.

Form A Mastermind With Knowledge

You can form a mastermind with prose. Fall in love with the library. Become a voracious reader. Use the internet. You have access to unlimited free resources. Tap into the minds of Einstein, Emerson, Buddha, Gandhi. Study leaders. Immerse yourself in their stories. By studying these people in depth you form a mastermind with them. You begin to adopt some of their characteristics.

Form An Alliance With Leaders Of Your Industry

Whoever leads your chosen field should be your friend. Pursue them. Be bold. Leaders appreciate boldness since it's a quality which successful people adopt.

To become the best learn from the best. Don't waste your time making unnecessary mistakes. Use the master's mind. The majority of mentors are more than willing to help you. Tap into their knowledge base.

Form A Mastermind With Friends Or Loved Ones

Just because your friend isn't a titan of industry doesn't mean they can't provide valuable support. Those closest to us know us the best. They can sense when we're heading in the wrong direction and they are the only ones who we trust to tell us that it's so.

Here's the caveat: their goals must be similar to yours. They must be a positive person. They should have drive. A well meaning but misinformed person will hurt your chances of becoming successful. They might tell you to take it easy when it's time to move into overdrive because they fear for your well-being.

You Can't Do It On Your Own

No matter how hard you try it's virtually impossible to become successful on your own. We're all in this together. Form a mastermind to multiply your mind power.

When people tell you certain programs or products have changed their lives it is natural to be skeptical so I was reserved about making that claim for Bob Doyle's Wealth Beyond Reason Program but there is no other way to put it. It improved my life dramatically. I truly believe it can do the same for you. Enter in your name and email to receive a free 6 video series - Wealth Beyond Reason.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ryan_Biddulph

The Black Book of the Mastermind

I just released a book called the Black Book of the Mastermind.

This book will help you recruit for your mastermind and get the most out of your mastermind group.

If you are using a mastermind group for personal development, getting yourself out of the rat race, I think you will like this book.

Click this link to see the description and etc from createspace (amazon):

https://www.createspace.com/3448936 use zeta486 as your password.

Thank you!

5 Important Reasons A Mastermind Group Accelerates Business Growth

What do King Arthur and Napoleon Hill have in common? They both knew the power of a mastermind group. King Arthur had his round table of knights. Napoleon Hill dedicated his life to learning about the secret to success from the most powerful men of his time. Having a group of advisors you can trust is necessary for all successful business owners and leaders.

Consider the countless times you have used someone as a sounding board for your ideas. When two or more people collaborate with a specific goal in mind, the mastermind process is activated. A third unique consciousness is created by the discussion.

So many times I will be talking with a colleague and new ideas occur because of the conversation. I might have eventually gotten these ideas on my own, but the process is speeded up by discussion and feedback.

The diversity of the group lends power to the mastermind. All members of the group must be committed to a similar goal, whether professional, personal or spiritual. Having a common focus with like minded people is dynamic. Your mindset for success will strengthen from this collaborative process.

The list could go on and on about the benefits of a mastermind group. These are the top five reasons for joining a mastermind group to help you reach your goals.

1.Test ideas with the group before beginning a project
This will save you time and heartache. How often have you thought you knew exactly what your clients need? You begin to implement this idea and then launch the new product or service only to find there is no response. What you thought they needed and what they wanted were two different things.

Being able to bounce your ideas off the group will help you gain insight. When you trust the group and their feedback, you will begin to flush out an idea before going live with a new product saving a lot of time and angst along the way.

2.Accountability
It would be ideal if we were all natural implementers and be accountable to ourselves. That is true for some people, but not for everyone. The truth is you will have increased success for reaching your goal when you know others are counting on you. None of us want to let our peers down. Being part of a group helps to give you that extra nudge and drive to keep on going even when obstacles get in the way of progress.

3.Stepping out of the box
What I have learned from being in a mastermind is how much I just don't know. We all have different experiences about what works and what to avoid. Your mastermind group is your resource. Ask them your questions. You will likely get the direction you need to take the next step. The group is a valuable resource.

I am a big fan of stepping out of the box and doing things differently than everyone else. Be outrageous and have fun with the process. The suggestions I have received from my mastermind group have helped me to create products and services which are uniquely mine. The amazing women in my group have supported me with tapping into my unique purpose in a loving, gentle but honest manner. This priceless guidance has helped me shape my business and maintain a positive mindset. Sometimes you just can't see something yourself because you have always looked at things one way. Receiving insight from others opens up new possibilities as you strive to reach your greatest potential.

4.Stretching yourself
How often in your life do you have the opportunity to connect with people who encourage you to expand your focus? When you are part of a dynamic mastermind group, you will receive support to stretch yourself and reach even bigger goals than you would have envisioned on your own. There will be moments when you are stepping out of your comfort zone as you progress. You might not always know how to do something and realize a leap of faith is required before you can move forward. This is where your mindset might falter. Your mastermind group will give you the encouragement and support you need to take the next step. It is almost as if they are taking that leap of faith with you.

5.Dividing the sorrows and sharing the joys
Let's face it, there will be setbacks. Along the way toward your success challenges will arise and you might not understand where it all went wrong. Instead of allowing you to retreat, your mastermind group will provide the feedback to learn from the experience. With a positive mindset you will receive insight to refine your process. You will also know you are not the only one with challenges. Each of us experience setbacks. This is all part of the learning curve toward the next level of success.

You will achieve milestones. Share your successes and breakthroughs with the group. It is okay to brag. When you succeed, the group benefits and it motivates everyone else to keep moving forward as well. This is the place to allow yourself to shine and not feel self conscious about it. In fact, create a ritual with each mastermind meeting. Set aside a check-in process where you get to brag.

You might be in a different league from King Arthur and Napoleon Hill, but you will benefit from having your own personal board of directors. Your mastermind group will fill this role. All successful leaders have a team of consultants. This association with other like minded people will help you maintain a winning mindset to achieve the next level of your success and beyond.

Activity: There is no one right formula for a mastermind group. It can be as small as two people or as large as you want. Consider your reason for being in a mastermind. List all of the pros and cons. Write your intentions for joining a mastermind.

You can either choose to have a paid group leader or have it be a lay-led group where everyone takes a turn. If you were to be in a mastermind group, what would your goals be? How would you benefit from this type of support system? Determine how often you meet. Will the meetings be face to face, phone or virtual?

About the Author:
And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE E-course "Tapping into Emotional Freedom" available at: => http://mindsetformarketingsuccess.com

Click here to get everything you need and begin clearing the obstacles to the next level of your success.

From Loren Fogelman, the success expert, founder of Mindset for Marketing Success.


Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/5-Important-Reasons-A-Mastermind-Group-Accelerates-Business-Growth/1023365#ixzz0mPoXfJCk
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

Master the Power of the Mastermind Group

In a constant effort to do more with less, our world seems to become more frenzied every day. Security issues and national politics change rapidly. We have to know more, be more, and do more than ever before. There seems to be no time for planning future personal or career moves, or thinking creatively about business issues.

One avenue that's working well for many people is a master-mind group. Such a group gives us contacts and resources to make planning and goal setting easier. Such a group helps us stay on course when everything seems to be pulling us in different directions. Master mind groups are spawning all over the country, offering support and specialized knowledge to people in every industry and sector.

A master-mind group consists of people who work together in absolute harmony to achieve diverse goals. The group members come together at regular intervals to brainstorm ideas, share knowledge, and help each other discover the tools to realize their dreams. While these people work well together, they may be very different from each other. The common element is that each draws something from the others, and each contributes freely to the group. It is the focusing of each mind on a common issue that triggers thoughts not readily available to one mind. Those in the group draw upon their unique experiences and specialized knowledge to help each other.

When many minds concentrate on a single point, the activity generates a power over and above the sum total of each of the individual minds. It is as though an invisible force joins the group and provides additional insight. As a result, the group members accomplish more than any one person could have accomplished individually.

Forming a master-mind group is relatively simple, but you need to plan carefully. Below are some tips to keep in mind while forming your group.

1. Choose people who are not like you. People with different perspectives will challenge you and contribute different ideas that you may not have thought of. While your master-mind group participants should be different from you, they should also possess some similar qualities - they should be action-oriented, have a high energy level, and have a strong commitment to follow-through. Search your contact list for only those people who share your values and with whom you'd want to meet regularly.

2. Ensure that group members can benefit from the experience, skills, and specialized knowledge of each other. Each person must have something to contribute to others in the group. This can be a specific talent, leads, or specialized knowledge or skills, such as marketing or organizational skills. Some members may choose to present tips or provide information, while others could contribute something as basic as good will and encouraging words. As a result, each person should be able to gain something from the group. The gain may not always be material. It may be increased self-confidence or "know-how." Ultimately, it may be the realization of a dream.

3. Agree on organizational matters, such as leadership, objectives, decisions on when and where to meet, and an established agenda. Group leadership initially rests with the person forming the group. His or her responsibility is to set the meeting time and place until the group decides on a permanent meeting time and place. Leadership of meetings may then rotate, meaning one person leads the session for a month, then the next month someone else leads. With an established process and ground rules, there is no need for an elected or designated leader.

Take the Initiative

Forming a master-mind group is a powerful way to get ideas and support from others. Take the initiative to start your own master-mind group today. You will soon see the wonderful benefits of contributing and receiving ideas, which will propel you and the entire group to new levels of personal and professional success.

Jo Condrill is the author of "How to Form a Master Mind Group," a downloadable 25-page booklet that provides the details. She is also author of "Take Charge of Your Life: Dare to Pursue Your Dreams" and "101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly." She provides a unique learning experience in leadership, team building, personal development, and success strategies. She has worked in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. http://www.goalminds.com/mastermind_groups.html

How to Use the Power of the Mastermind

How did the great entrepreneurs of yesterday achieve their goals and dreams?

What helped Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison get the desired

results that they all were looking for? I would like to share the answer to that very

question with you now.

They all achieved their success through the power of the mastermind! Masterminding

by definetion is the collaboration of two or more people thinking in perfect harmony to

achieve a common goal or task. When people mastermind together, the power of the

mastermind group is much greater than each individual's power alone. To compare it

to old mathematic logic, the value of the sum total is greater than the value of the individual

parts!

Andrew Carnegie had his mastermind group that consisted of fifty men, thinking together

to form a plan to manufacture steel. Henry Ford didn't find his success until he met

with Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and John Burroughs. All were thought to be great

thinkers of their time. When you look at Presidents, both past and present, you see that

they all have teams of advisors around them and a large staff to help them. Why is this so?

When you mastermind with a well chosen group of people, you can create a solid well

conceived plan to translate your burning desire into your established goal. Through

massive action and great persistence in implementing the plan, you are more than half

way there. When your mastermind group is thinking in perfect harmony, all in the group

will benefit equally! No great success is achieved on your own. The power needed to create

great success is only accummulated through the mastermind. People take on the nature

and habits of the mastermind from the power of thought created by the entire group.

So remember, all great success stories from the past had big help from their mastermind

group. The power of the mastermind is much greater than anyone's thinking alone.

Great success and riches and true wealth can be only accummulated through the use of

the mastermind principle.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Norm DeCelles

http://www.newroadtoriches.com
An entrepreneur and business coach educating and training other fellow entrepreneurs to become the best version of themselves. Through great training and massive action anyone can have the lifestyle they've always dreamed of.

http://www.newroadtoriches.com

Mastermind Group Members - How to Find, Choose and Invite Them to Join Your Group

Once you know the purpose and type of mastermind group you wish to create, it's time to find, choose and invite prospective members. What kind of qualities are you looking for? Start with yourself. Take a good look at what you are bringing to the table, not only in experience and skills, but also values. A well-bonded mastermind group will often stay together for years while growing and evolving.

The following is a list of qualities and traits to refer to as a guideline when deciding who you want to invite into your own group. Use it as a starting point and add your own desired traits.


Creative
Open
Positive
Intuitive
Supportive
Committed
Confident
Generous
Good listener
High integrity
Achievement oriented
Willing to give and receive
Where do you find this wonderful people?

Everywhere. If the purpose for forming your mastermind group is for personal reasons such as pursuing a hobby, weight loss, self-improvement book group or creativity group, start with your friends and neighbors. Even a family member may be a good choice. If you can think of only one person who is a good candidate, start there and put your heads together to find more members.

Draw from people in your work, school, church, fitness club or exercise class, chamber of commerce, Rotary club, and other organizations you belong to. Consider people you see regularly and are friendly with in stores you frequent or other places you go, such as a dog park, farmers' markets or at concerts. If you regularly run into some of the same people, it could be a sign you have similar interests.

Run a classified ad seeking mastermind members in a weekly lifestyle or entertainment paper, local newspaper, area business journal, an organization's newsletter, or online at CraigsList.org or Meetup.com.

If you are open to a long-distance group, members can be located anywhere in the world as long as you can coordinate the meeting time to suit everyone.

Do an Internet search in your area of interest or type of group you have in mind. Check the Yahoo groups.

Ask, ask, ask everybody: " Who do you know that...?"

You want to choose carefully and find the right fit, but don't get stuck over-thinking this process. Often the best members for your group are closer than you think.

How do you screen and invite prospective members?

Now that you have some good prospective members in mind and are convinced the person would be right for your group, contact them by phone, in person, or even by email if far away. Explain the purpose of forming the mastermind, why you think they would be a great addition to the group, and invite them to join you.

This is the first conversation with this person, and you are feeling pretty good but not 100 percent sure yet that you want to issue an invitation. To further qualify this potential member, use some of the following questions. This isn't necessarily an interview or audition, especially from their point of view, so just work them into the conversation gently as questions. If an assessment is something you want to use, feel free to help yourself to any of these statements.


I appreciate the value of brainstorming new ideas with a trusted team.
I am willing to respect the privacy and protect the confidentiality of the group members.
I am open to learning from my peers.
I am willing and able to give as much as I receive.
I am committed to attending all meetings and treating them as a high priority.
I am able and willing to give myself permission to succeed.
I am a person of my word and will take the actions I say I will.
I see myself as a glass-half-full (positive) kind of person.
Next step, set a date for your first meeting and start inviting. If you think some people have agreed to attend the first meeting to check it out first before committing to join for the long haul, then invite more than your ideal size. You can then ask for a firm commitment after everyone has had a taste of what the group is about, what the ground rules are, and decided if it is a good fit for them.

Enjoy the process. If a person doesn't fit for the mastermind group, you still may have made a great new friend or business acquaintance.

Susan Henderson is a coach/consultant/mentor who assists creative entrepreneurs to take that seed of an idea you've been holding close to your heart and sprout it into the business of your dreams. I will guide you through the steps in discovering your purpose and creating a life you can love. One that includes the values that are most important to you-things like independence, flexibility, integrity, and creativity. To find out how, please visit: http://www.susanhenderson.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Henderson

Take Refuge from Negative Influences - Form a Mastermind

79) Form a mastermind alliance with like minded achievers. Have standards for yourself
and your mastermind, and then raise them incrementally. A mastermind can and should
be an excellent refuge from negative influences.


http://www.renegadeuniversity.net

Tips for Starting a Mastermind Group

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talked about something called a "mastermind alliance." Hill went on to describe his concept of a mastermind group as, "A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one another to follow through with both plan and purpose." Today, like-minded professionals come together through a plethora of available mastermind programs to help each other achieve success, thanks in part to Napoleon Hill's original idea.

Note: This two-part article is intended to offer some valuable tips, suggestions and observations for those readers who are planning to start a mastermind group, or seeking to become an active member of a mastermind group in the near future.

Before starting a mastermind group, do your homework. Carefully select the topic(s), and solicit the advice of others who have started similar mastermind programs, so you know what to expect. Attend several group meetings to learn about the differing formats, content, membership requirements, etc. This will assist you in determining the appropriate structure for your mastermind group before proceeding.

Get help with start-up. Karyn Greenstreet, the owner of Passion for Business and The Success Alliance http://thesuccessalliance.com/, is someone you should schedule time with before you start or join a mastermind group. Karyn currently offers a variety of teleclasses and valuable resources on how to start and manage a mastermind group, including a free e-Book, to help you research and successfully start your mastermind program.

Mastermind programs, if properly constructed, require a serious commitment in terms of preparation and planning, personal and professional growth, and active participation. As a group leader, it's important to set aside the time necessary to develop the group's charter, format and content, and the outline for planned meetings, programs and events, well in advance. For the group to be successful, members must also share this same level of commitment through regular attendance at meetings, self-study, professional development and growth, and their support of other members.

The group charter and guidelines should clearly define the purpose of the group, information about scheduled meetings, attendance expectations, group etiquette, member additions and removal, communication and membership fees. Members should know as much as possible about the group's plans and requirements in advance, and what they will gain through their active participation. This clarity, in turn, will help new member candidates make informed decisions as to whether the group is the right fit for their specific need.

Whether you choose an open or closed group format, diversity and the group's dynamics are critical aspects to consider to ensure a rich mastermind experience. You want to create a "buzz" by recruiting business leaders with differing perspectives, business backgrounds, experience levels, and industry profiles. Above all, select business professionals who are passionate about their personal growth and success, and are equally dedicated to helping other group members achieve the same goals.

Prepare for growth and attrition. In the early stages, you should expect a certain amount of attrition to occur for various reasons including time and workload requirements, schedule conflicts, family and health issues, and business changes. Your recruiting efforts, therefore, should be ongoing so you have a backlog of candidates in the event that you lose group members. Also, have a transition plan to help new members quickly get introduced to the selected topics, recommended readings, homework and group exercises, to enable them to contribute from day one, and not feel left out.

Part 2 of this two-part article will focus on several additional areas you will want to emphasize when starting your mastermind group including Communications and Confidentiality, Programs, Activities and Events, and Accountability. In the meantime, please share your thoughts, ideas and experiences on this subject with me.


COPYRIGHT © 2010 John Carroll

http://trescoach.blogspot.com/2010/03/tips-for-starting-mastermind-group-part.html

Every Leader Should Be Focused on Improvement

Last Sunday, I was asked to organize and lead a presentation on Mastermind groups at a chapter meeting of the National Speakers Association of Ohio in Columbus. There were about 80 people at the session including experienced speakers who have participated in Mastermind groups and new speakers hoping to join one.

A Mastermind group is a select number of people who gather on a regular basis to brainstorm, coach, or give feedback to one another on business practices and products. Most Mastermind groups meet several times a year in person. Others communicate by conference calls. I find the face-to-face meeting the most productive.

The value of this group is the collective wisdom of people whose businesses have similar struggles. By-products of such groups are the friendships, which blossom and deepen. However, it is important to maintain objectivity and commit to giving honest, respectful feedback to gain the most out of these groups. The typical size of a Mastermind group is no more than five to six people so that each person can get an adequate amount of attention.

A key aspect of the best Mastermind groups is accountability. Members must commit to appropriate business goals and attempt progress on those goals between meetings. At the meetings, successes and failures should be discussed and refits designed if necessary. As with every aspect of a Mastermind group, if the accountability structure fails, the group should modify it to be more productive. Experimentation on structure should be a part of every Mastermind group.

I shared with the session participants my business goals and accountability measures that I track on a daily basis such as articles distributed, sales calls made, hours spent writing, presentations made, books sold among others. I have twelve in all. I share them with my Mastermind group every other month and receive feedback on my progress.

Group members must be willing to ask for help and comprehensively share their knowledge and ideas to other group members. Detailed agendas must be developed and owned by all group members and distributed well in advance of Mastermind sessions. It can be helpful to design your next agenda at the end of each meeting.

I recommend that at the first Mastermind group meeting, the participants jointly create a set of expectations and behavioral Ground Rules to guide the actions of individual members. Expectations describe desired outcomes and Ground Rules describe the process of how you interact. Make sure every member agrees on all elements of both documents. If any group member does not accept an element of the documents, modify the agreements to gain consensus. Have them prominently displayed at all meetings and refer to them as needed.

Every leader should be focused on personal, professional, and business improvement. It can be extremely helpful to seek feedback and ideas from other professionals in your field. I recommend that if you are not already in a Mastermind or a similar group, you should seek four or five other people whom you respect and initiate one. You may experience quantum leaps in your outcomes and achievement of lifetime dreams.

R. Glenn Ray, Ph.D., is the president of RayCom Learning. To learn more about Ray's new book Tons of Stone above my head: Coal Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons, visit his Web site www.raycomlearning.com. Everyday Leadership appears each Wednesday on the Business page

http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/520372.html?nav=5003

The Mastermind Group

What do you get when you put four smart, interesting people getting together to help each along the wily, treacherous path of growing a business? The magic of a Mastermind Group!

In August of 2006, I posted an article called Why your business needs a peer-led MasterMind on Mastermind Groups by Mark Silver.

He did a great job of explaining the basics of what one is, how it works, and how it compares to some the other support systems available.

Even before that article popped up, I’d been thinking about how great it would be to have a Mastermind Group. Well it only took a short three years for that to happen.

Yup, it swam around the idea phase for a good two years, broke the surface several time in that last year trying to get beached on my Project List, and then in November of 2009, it gathered up the momentum to shoot out of the water like a dolphin doing flips in the air and yelled, “The time is Nowwww!!!” Splash!

That moment fortuitously happened at an Open Conference for Leadership right at the time that the participants were being asked to volunteer subjects.The next thing I know, I’m offering a session on Mastermind Groups–zero planning or pre-meditation.

While most people didn’t know what it was, the name Spoke to them. A good 35 people showed up for that session.

I described my understanding of what a MM group was, called on some people who had been in several groups to share their experience, and then suggested a structure:

•4 people
•commit to 6 months
•meet once a week
•meet for an hour
•divide the time up between people there
•each person gets to lead their time
•use a timer
•finish and end on time
•be supportive and honest
•and as Mark calls it, compassionate accountability
Four groups of four people initiated right then! Mark’s group meets over the phone. We meet in person.

A success story
One woman in my group is rebuilding her jewelry business. She resisted calling up a new account because she was afraid that nothing would have sold. (The mind is sooo creative in coming up with horror stories when it comes to our personal work!) She finally made the call only to find out that most of the pieces had sold and the buyer bought ten more pieces.

After reporting back on this success, another woman in our group, a landscape architect, immediately identified a phone call she’d been procrastinating due to fear. She made it her homework that week to make the call.

At our next meeting, she reported back that the jeweler’s courage helped her take the bull by the horns and she had made her dreaded phone call (which also had great results).

There are books on the subject to help people jump in and kick-start their group. My experience supports the idea of just getting it going. The critical ingredients:
Commitment and Respect.

Whether concrete ideas of how to proceed in a confusing area, determining what the next step is for marketing might be, how to handle a tough client, or guidance on starting a blog–it’s likely that someone in the group has experience where another lacks it.

The progress that people can make based on this weekly support structure can be akin to magic–it’s that powerful.

Such an empowering way to let it be easy!

http://projectsimplify.com/out-and-about/the-mastermind-group/

Mastermind Groups in the 21st Century

The mastermind principle, as originally conceived by Napoleon Hill, is about the power of a “third mind” made possible through regular collaboration.

That’s when a small group of co-equal colleagues and contemporaries share experiences and insights that create “Ah ha” moments for each of them.

In a real mastermind group there are no profesional organizers. There are no gurus acting as experts.

And nobody is paying anybody for advice, group management, or facilitation.

In a real mastermind group it’s just you with a few of your colleagues, other people you know, like, trust, and whose opinions you respect. Simply peers with no ax to grind and nothing to sell, with only your best interests at heart.

That’s right – no professional moderators and no organizers are required to have a successful sustainable group that meets regularly over the years.

Many of the old fashioned mastermind groups are the face-to-face variety, like the one that Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone made famous nearly a century ago.

Just think, if you could put together a group of peers, people from your industry, who are far outside of your (and their) traditional marketing areas – you could have all the benefits that come from sharing experiences with people who know what you want to know. People whose insights are directly relevant to you. And since you are not direct competitors there is never any fear of giving away your secrets.

Today, cheap long distance calls, instant online webinar services, and free Yahoo! groups can make your meetings much more effective than the old fashioned face-to-face variety. No time and money wasted getting to and from the meetings and the ability to connect with the other members of your group 24/7 – to deal with the speed of business today.

You can get together in person of course – that’s what your trade association meetings are for.

Using the simple techniques that I later complied into my mastermind group report I established and participated in several peer to peer mastermind groups.

I personally use a conference call service that allows each member of my group to call a central number and connect over a bridge line. Nothing special about that. Except with the service we use if one of us in not able to be there the call can be instantly recorded and available for the missing member – no extra charge and nothing to do but push the record button.

Recently one of the members was out of the country on vacation. He was able to log on to the call via the Internet and participate in the live simulcast of the meeting. No extra charge for this either.

And using our Yahoo! group we can post documents to be shared confidentially among the six of us. In addition we can create a calendar of upcoming meetings, keep track of who is in charge of the next meeting, post links to the resources to be discussed, an outline of our normal agenda and set reminders for one another some of he previously time consuming activities required to keep a mastermind group vibrant and productive.

A few years ago I suggested to several business owners from across North America, members of the same association, that they create a mastermind over the phone to continue a discussion we had together at their annual meeting.

That was a dozen years ago and they still get together twice a month to share strategies, offer insights from their experiences, and provide support to one another.

If it was possible at the time, Napoleon Hill would have created this type of mastermind group process.

Just imagine how much more Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, President Harding, and Henry Ford could have achieved if they had the tools available to you today?

Today I am making the same tips, tools and techniques available to you – so you can create your own board of advocates – your own strategic planning team.

When you purchase the mastermind group report you’ll receive priceless tips, tools, and strategies for creating and managing your own mastermind group. 21stCenturyMasterMindGroups.com

Wayne Messick WayneMessick.com
http://www.ilabstech.com/info-blog/mastermind-groups-in-the-21st-century.html

Mastermind Groups that Really Work

By:Denis Orme


MasterMind groups that really work

Denis Orme

Founder: www.SpeakEasi.org

Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the MasterMind alliance in his classic book Think and Grow Rich some fifty years ago. He believed that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals could dramatically leverage each other\’s success.

But even earlier than that Benjamin Franklin\’s autobiography alluded to 鈥楯untos\’ in the sense of group problem-solving.

Since then many others have attested to their value.

JFK 鈥淟ofty words cannot construct an alliance or maintain it; only concrete deeds do that.鈥?br />


Hillary Clinton once said, 鈥淣o one ever became a success without the help of other people.鈥? I believe it. You need others to help and support you and for you to help and support them.

MasterMind groups are formed for a variety of reasons including: increasing business, spiritual fellowship, education or intellectual pursuits, networking, cross-coaching, problem-solving and planning either personally and in business and personal goal setting and attainment, again either as part of a life plan or in business.

Over time through your MasterMind partners you will get support, ideas, accountability on the aspects of your life you select - business, personal, career, physical and spiritual. Assisting you both personally and professionally by building resources into your life, career or business, and also providing support and encouragement. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

Members of your MasterMind group become your partners and so their selection is critical to the success of all group members. More than any other qualities prospective members must be totally trustworthy, dependable and have a genuine desire to do better - there is no room for 鈥榥eedy\’ people. Find people who are mature enough to commit time, and healthy enough not to suck energy or induce negative energy.

Relationship bank deposits - Zig Ziglar - 鈥淵ou can get everything in life you want, if you\’ll just help enough other people to get what they want.鈥? Clearly for me this is an underlying principle of a MasterMind group. Ask yourself, Am I consistently adding-value to the Relationship Bank? Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

You will have partners/coaches and not advice givers - a broader frame of reference and experience for you to apply your own judgement to before making decisions, but more importantly acting on the information and feedback. Interdependence, not dependence.


Consider members as your sounding-board and if a little problem-solving help is required, fine. But it is not the main order of the day. The group will help you think smarter, brainstorm ideas, encourage creativity and support your efforts. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

Remember though, in the end you are the CEO of your life, your career and your business. 鈥淚f it is going to be, it is up to me.鈥?

Determining a purpose:

For MasterMind group objectives I tend to eliminate exchanging sales leads as the purpose for such a group. There are many fine organisations like www.BNI.com you can join. That said, sometimes business just flows naturally as relationships grow.

There are many different reasons why your MasterMind might meet, ranging from career planning, growing your business, building a stronger team, to establishing broad spiritual or life connections. Be very clear on what you are trying to accomplish and the more specific you are, the more productive you will be - Build an understanding about the purpose for the group and how it will work.

Selecting members

Core values in selecting members may include:: tolerance/understanding, cooperation/growth, good communication skills, caring/commitment, synergy/mutuality, but most importantly trust and respect. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

If the group is business-related then seek out those from complementary not competing businesses, perhaps at a similar level within their organisation, and sometimes if possible of a different business discipline. One of the successful groups I formed was to have all owners of non-competing SME\’s in the group, and in another situation participants were all CEO or COO\’s from larger businesses.

If the primary purpose for the group is life planning or spiritually related, then perhaps select members high in positive energy.

Establishing guidelines

鈥?Group Size - I recommend 5-7 only. Any smaller and it is hard to keep the group going if one or two members have prior commitments. However, the Mastermind group should be their primary commitment, and if someone is absent they get to chair the next meeting. Any larger than 7 and the group becomes too impersonal and does not allow sufficient time to focus on each person.

鈥?Frequency, time date and place of meeting. It does take time to sort this out because of conflicting schedules. Allow for social time, or a social event after the meeting.

鈥?

鈥?Establish a meeting theme in advance. Figure out a way that you will all have an opportunity to bring something new to the meeting. Maybe it is an article, book, tape or a news story relevant to your group.

鈥?Focus on goals and not telling stories - keep to the time limit and end the session on a positive, upbeat note.

鈥?Bring forth solutions and not problems or obstacles.

鈥?Ensure members share time and do not dominate. We all need to be active listeners. Alertness from both sides equals mutual success.

鈥?Create an atmosphere of confidentiality and respect.

鈥?Encourage members to jump in with support and positive ideas for the person who is talking. No criticism is allowed.

Picking a Leader

Obviously the two approaches are either fixed term or rotational. I prefer the rotational approach. It ensures a more constant flow of new ideas and themes and in the unlikely event that you have a dominant personality in the group this can provide a counter-balance. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

Each member of your group should be well-versed in operating within your meeting guidelines so they can be more effective as the group leader. Remember, you only have guidelines and not rules. The group should be a relaxed fun place even though there is a serious purpose.

Meeting Focus

鈥?Sharing individual successes. Celebration time is a very powerful way to start a meeting.

鈥?Embark on the meeting theme. Have the theme leader bring copies of material for all and to lead the discussion..

鈥?Devote 10-15 minutes to members who need help with a particular opportunity or problem. Not all will at each meeting.

鈥?Provide an opportunity for people to share ideas on resources which have proven invaluable, and why that resource was invaluable. It may have been an online newsletter, a vendor or a professional advisor.

鈥?Make time for social interaction. Definitely a great way to grow the partnership, by having a meal or a cocktail hour afterwards.

Meeting Tips

There is an element of personal surrender with your partners and it will take time to build trust and confidence between partners. Initial meetings therefore should not centre on close personal situations. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

I believe all participants should provide an honest report on how they are doing, or how they did in relation to last month\’s goals.


Allow social time before/after meetings or at separate events of helping relationships to flourish. I find social time is better after the meeting.

Finally, notes should be taken. Not formal records but a record in particular of goals or progress towards goals that each group member plans to undertake. In my words: 鈥淔ocus and Follow-through.鈥?br />


If it stops working

It is perhaps time to try something different or inject new blood. Maybe members have gone stale, changed their personal goals or now have larger priorities making them less frequent attendees of your meetings.

Honesty between members in recognising the need for change will ensure you retain a healthy vibrant group.

Results

No need for a disclaimer here 鈥淩esults will vary according to鈥︹€? etc.鈥? You are in a group of highly motivated people, and these are people who achieve.

I have been in different MasterMind groups and my results have included valuable input on the purchase of a business and as to whether or not the founder-seller was really motivated to sell or was lonely and just enjoyed my company; suggestions for growing a business which subsequently received a sales award; career planning suggestions and suggestions regarding relocating to another country. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org

I have seen others break out of personal relationships, get married, buy and sell houses, get suggestions in relation to dysfunctional work teams and in other cases build community involvements.

Conclusion:

The late Jack Boland and Napoleon Hill laid down some universal principles which hold true today, and which you should bear in mind when forming your own MasterMind group:

鈥?a) Align yourself with a group of as many people as you may need to create and carry out your plan or plans.

(b) Before forming your Master Mind Alliance, decide what advantages, and benefits, you may offer the individual members of your group in return for their cooperation. No one will work indefinitely without some form of compensation. No intelligent person will either request or expect another to work without adequate compensation, although this may not always be in the form of money.

(c) If your goal and the goal of other MasterMind group members is the accumulation of wealth arrange to meet least twice a week, until you have jointly perfected the necessary plan or plans for the accumulation of money.

(d) Maintain PERFECT HARMONY between yourself and every member of your Master Mind Group. If you fail to carry out this instruction to the letter, you may expect to meet with failure. The Master Mind Principle cannot obtain where PERFECT HARMONY does not prevail.

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Keep in mind these two facts:

First, you are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans which are faultless.

Second, you must have the advantage of the experience, education, native ability, and imagination of other minds. This is in harmony with the methods followed by every person who has ever accumulated great success.鈥?br />


As your MasterMind group starts you on a great journey, remember life\’s balance:

鈥淒on\’t get so busy or live so fast that you cannot listen to the music of the meadow or the symphony that glorifies the forest.鈥?br />

- Dale Carnegie


Author: Denis Orme

www.SpeakEasi.org

1-877-293-6760

About the author:
Denis Orme
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