Mastermind Effect

According to Napoleon Hill the "Master Mind" can be defined as "Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose". When I first began my seemingly endless search for the "right"answers to grow my business it seemed like there were obstacles onevery corner. I was plagued by indecision, procrastination, fear of taking risks, "bright shiny object syndrome", lack of money, lack of knowledge and so on. Being alone day in and day out allowed me to create all kinds of thoughts in my head that served no purpose. Sure, I was working like a dog, marketing like crazy but I didn't have anyinteraction with people who were going through the same types of things I was. Until I found a mastermind group.The idea of masterminding has been around for a hundred years andit's long been touted as one of the single best ways to see rapid success in your life. Why? Because the collective knowledge, expertise, ideas and encouragement of the many is far more powerful than the mind of one.

4 Benefits of Mastermind Groups

Specialized Knowledge

No one person knows it all, which is one of the most common reasonspeople fall short of their goal, or choose not to take chances. People believe they don't have the knowledge or required education toget where they want to be. The fact is, no successful individual hasbecome successful because he/she knew everything. Napoleon Hill talks about this at great length in Think and Grow Rich in the chapter on Specialized Knowledge. The most successful people are not the oneswho know how to do everything but the ones who know how to get peopleto do for them what they don't know. So, in a mastermind people are able to leverage the knowledge and strengths of everyone around them to move forward more quickly toward their own goals.

Definiteness of Purpose

Definiteness of purpose is a key to your success. If you do not knowwith absolute certainty what you want, you will never reach the levelof success that is possible. Mastermind groups offer knowledge, information, and direction. Members help you stay on track, call youout when you are not doing what you say you are going to do andgenerally serve as the more rational voice inside you to keep youreye on the prize. Do not underestimate the power of this.

Unlimited Experience

An individual who is trying to develop a strategy to grow her business for the first time has a high probability of failure becauseshe has finite experience. She has only what she currently knows toguide her. However, the mastermind group has infinite experience. It has years of combined experience, knowledge and insight you can drawfrom to accelerate your learning curve.

Group Energy

Many entrepreneurs struggle because they don't have consistentinteraction with their peers on a daily basis. They may work withclients and attend events a few times a month but working inisolation can be dangerous. Having a mastermind group that you arepart of on a weekly basis can keep you connected, help you to seethat your struggles are not unique, and that you can have outrageoussuccess even if your stumble once in a while. Mastermind groups keepus honest, keep us on track and encourage us to do more and be more.

Finding a Good Mastermind Group

I have been in some mastermind groups that were fantastic and othersthat were completely useless. Here are a few things I have learnedwhen it comes to choosing the right mastermind situation or leavingone that's not working.

1. The energy of the group has to be good. If the chemistry is wrong,if someone is always trying to dominate or you dread getting on thecall, you're in the wrong place. It can be a challenge to get a grouptogether that really clicks but it's certainly possible so don'tsettle.

2. The mastermind has to define its own rules. There have to be rulesthat everyone in the group agrees to such as how it will bestructured, rules for speaking, confidentiality, and attendance. A mastermind group where people rarely show up, don't engage, comeunprepared, and take the confidentiality part too loosely are toxic.Look for a group that is organized, requires attendance and has asolid structure. It will make it so much more successful for all involved.

3. The ultimate goal has to be the same for all. Each person willhave a specific goal of joining the mastermind but the collectivegoal of the group should be to help each individual member achievetheir goals and reach the level of success they desire. When thatbigger picture is kept in mind, everyone wins.

How do you find one to join? There are so many opportunities these days to join mastermind groups.They range in price from free (you could put your own together) tohundreds of thousands of dollars for high end groups. I recommendjust doing some research. In fact, you may find that your mentor hasa continuity program with a mastermind component to it. The key is to just find the right spot for you and don't give up until you do. Like mentoring, mastermind groups can have a profound impact on yoursuccess and even more importantly, how quickly you achieve it.

Success coach Melani Ward helps women entrepreneurs create thebusiness of their dreams so they can create more money, time and freedom in their lives. If you're ready to get more clients, havemore fun and make a whole lot more money in your small business, getyour FREE report "Proven Steps for Creating the Business Lifestyle ofYour Dreams" NOW at http://www.HotButtonCopy.comArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melani_Ward

Goals: Three Papers to Review Every Morning

In order to achieve your major goal, you will need a clear plan. First, write out your major goal sheet, similar to the way Napoleon Hill and Brian Tracy instructed. Include:
1) State your major goal, 2) Lay out your plan for achieving your goal, 3) List the benefits of achieving this goal (i.e. why you want it), 4) Your current status (be honest), 5) The deadline you set for yourself to achieve your goal, 6) List at least seven obstacles to achieving your goal, 7) List the knowledge you will have to acquire to achieve your goal, and 8) A list of the people who will help. If you have to make adjustments to your plan, that is fine. Make adjustments as needed. But I would not change your major goal.
Second, fill up a page with your greatest achievements. Include things like awards in school or at your job or financial accomplishments, personal accomplishments, sports accomplishments, etc, etc. Fill up one page with your biggest achievements, anything will do! Review this sheet after you review your major goal statement. Sounds kinda wild, but it is a good thing to do before undertaking a challenging goal. (I got this idea from Larry Waschka in his book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Rich".)
Third, ask yourself this question: Why have you not achieved your major goal already? Write down every reasonable explanation you can think of. Make sure you avoid the mistakes you made before and grasp opportunity the next time. Learn from your mistakes.
Type up these three papers and review them every morning. Doing so will keep you focused on your major goal and give you the confidence and motivation to achieve it.
Good luck!!
David K Drews is the web master of http://www.independentwealth.us/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Drews