Friday, January 21, 2011

Choosing the Perfect Mastermind Group

There is nothing such as an absolutely "perfect" mastermind group that you can encounter and join. The whole trick lies in choosing the best group that suits you. There are too many mastermind groups out there; it is very hard to know all of them. But finding the most suitable group for your personality is not an easy business. There are some standards and prerequisites that you must look for in the group you become a member of.

If you are too busy, and your life is always in a hurry, you may think that you do not have sufficient time for a mastermind group. But even if you are always in hustle, the time you invest in such a group will be worth the great effects it will have on both your individual and professional life. Even so, there are several ways you can find and join a group that suits you best.

Like everything else nowadays, masterminding can be electronically done. You can use your internet to look for a group of like-minded people in your area then arrange meetings in a nearby café or a quiet library. You can also take your mastermind activity further by holding your meetings and sharing your ideas online. You can log on to online mastermind groups to browse the categorized groups and select the group that fits your purposes. You can meet people online, or you can post your thoughts for others to read.

Some people prefer old-school masterminding and interacting with people in the same physical place. Traditional meeting has its advantages and disadvantages. Meeting your peers in person increases the intimacy inside the group and the warmth in your interaction. The relationship becomes more like friendship, not colleagueship. The more you meet, the more genuine you become when dealing with your group and with every single individual in it. On the other side, holding your meetings in a coffee shop in the area may be a little challenging if the group members' working hours do not allow them all to have a free slot in their daily planners for a meeting. This is where meeting online comes in handy.

Most of the time the, meeting method will come naturally if you are joining the right group that matches you to an excellent extent. Your peers are more likely to have similar lifestyles to yours, and therefore agreeing on how and where to meet should not be surrounded with extended discussions.

Meetings should also be frequent, preferably once a week, for an hour or an hour and a half. Everyone should be committed and be present on time. You can think of penalties for every minute of tardiness if your group has punctuality issues.

Last but not least, if the mastermind group you join is hardly adding anything to you, or if you feel you are only consuming everybody else's positive energy without giving anything in return. You have to productive and effective in order to play your role in the group. The group has also to prove its efficiency. Make sure that the hour you spend in the group, gives you hours of action in the right direction.

Mark West invites you to join a mastermind group online that is dedicated to enhancing your success and has a mission to create an alliance with mastermind groups all over the globe.
http://michiganmastermindgroup.com/

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

What's In It For You When You Join A Mastermind Alliance?

You may be thinking, "What's in it for me?" "I do not have enough time for this." "I'd rather be working and getting things done." "Chatting with people can't do you much." These are some of the ideas that may come to your mind when you hear about mastermind alliances.

Choosing the word "alliance" in itself is actually quite smart. When Dr Hill talked about his principles of success, he talked about mastermind alliances. Success has never been a one man's show. It has always required the serious work of several participants in the same project. To put it clearly, you cannot succeed in a solo manner. Or at least, the potential of your achievements will not be augmented to the level you can reach when you form a mastermind group.

Mastermind alliances have been the path to several successful business leaders like Ford, Rockefeller, and Carnegie. Some used it even if they didn't give it the same name, like Thomas Edison and Mahatma Gandhi.

It is hard to find someone who thinks that brainstorming in a group is less useful. When you think alone, you discuss the ideas that come to your mind. It becomes a process that happens completely inside you. But, when you brainstorm among a group, you complete each others' thoughts, and the final outcome will be nearly flawless projects, or plans of action.

And as they say, a single minute of planning saves about ten minutes of implementation. There is a lot of contemporary literature that talks about the importance of evaluation for your business advancement. Dr Hill tells you to do that in his 1928 published book, but he tells you to do it in a group. When you evaluate each others' performance honestly, the results will surpass your imagination.

So, instead of wasting your time thinking that you are doing the right thing by working non-stop, pause for a while and think about allocating some of your time for planning, evaluation, education, and support, in a group setting. You can talk to your alliance about your fears and ask them for advice. And since every single person's experience is unique, you'll be able to learn a lot from every single individual's experience.

When you carry the attitude of giving, you benefit even more, because your group becomes focused on mutual assistance and everyone does their best to help the rest, just like they help him/her.

In the end, joining a mastermind alliance improves your business economically and satisfies your psychological need of support and continuous encouragement. Do not make the mistake of thinking that planning and interacting with other people takes the time that was supposed to be spent on hard work. Serious commitment to your group will lead to immense improvements in your work and in your life. You will be surprised by what you achieve because it will exceed both your expectation and your perceived potential.

Do your homework, and choose the most suitable alliance for you in order to make the most out of your regular meetings.

Mark West invites you to join a mastermind alliance that is dedicated enhancing your success and has a mission to create an alliance with mastermind groups over the globe.
http://globalmastermindgroup.com/

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

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Beat the Money Game and Retire Early

You have probably heard the idea that you can beat the game or beat the system and enjoy the fruits of success while you are young. I have some ideas that can help you retire much earlier than at age 59 ½. These ideas will require a lot of initial effort, but I bet they will pan out.

First, the government should allow people to opt out of social security. What if each taxpayer could contribute an extra $100 or more every month towards their Roth IRA? We would be responsible to make good investments. But this idea is far better than the social security generation X and Y will get.

Second, end unemployment insurance. Your employer has to send the government a sizable percentage of your pay to the unemployment department. What if the unemployment plan were eliminated? What if the worker and employer split the money 50/50 and the worker could save and invest the difference? Again, you would be adding at least a few hundred dollars a month to your brokerage account.

Third, allow all citizens to invest in hedge funds and IPO's. Yes, these investments are more risky, but what if your broker or 401(k) administrator found you a great one? It could make all the difference.

Fourth, identify and thoroughly research and study your objective, whether it is a business or career, etc. It doesn't matter what your objective is, just thoroughly research it and make an organized plan for reaching this goal. Read the pertinent rules and regulations and look for any advantages and loopholes. Read books about or talk to the people involved in reaching this goal. This will help you uncover more facts that will help you. If your major business or career objectives lead to serious money, I would suggest serious research and work.

When you know enough of the facts you will have an easier time planning and doing the work involved in getting the money to retire early. You will also find that creative and lateral thinking are easier when you know what you are doing.

Fifth, join a master mind group and multiply your intelligence, your contacts, and mental resources. We don't know everything. This makes good master mind groups valuable. A guide in territory that is new to you is very advisable.

Now you have a few ideas that can help you retire early. To find more ideas for escaping the rat race see http://www.renegadeuniversity.net. Don't reinvent the wheel, visit this site.

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