Be Part of an Exclusive Community
Let’s face it, all of us yearn for a sense of belonging and we would like to know that our presence in a group adds value. The nature and set up as small, selected groups of individuals with common goals gives Mastermind groups an air of exclusivity. You may be thinking, if this is so exclusive, how can I as an average person join one? Luckily the Mastermind concept is gaining worldwide traction and with a bit of searching on the internet you will find groups for a wide variety of “specialties” – from shared business interests, professional development, personal and spiritual growth to such practical topics
Mastermind groups by their very nature are groupings of like-minded individuals. Especially for entrepreneurs and professionals in smaller organizations, isolation is a fact of daily life and Mastermind groups can overcome much of this lonely feeling. A successful Mastermind group does become much more than a group of people that only meet at predetermined times and morphs much more into a support group and often the circle of friends where members communicate whenever they are in need of some advice.
Mastermind Groups are all about two-way communication and exchange of ideas and advice and as all members commit to doing their part, this makes for a great exchange of ideas and working together. If different opinions come together it is inevitable that the views and opinions of the individual get augmented. Over time these individuals also tend to open up more, challenge themselves and generally start to broaden their own thought processes.
The combination of different attendees, each with their own experiences and input will inevitably lead attendees to look at their own situation with new eyes. The diversity of experience and expertise, combined with an honest sharing and discussion of issues inevitably leads to new learning – both for the person who shares their issues and also the rest of the group. It is reported time and again that the “bystanders” often learn the most as they would usually never have thought about the issue that is being discussed.
The nature and setup of Mastermind groups are such that individual members bring issues they grapple with to the group and these issues then get addressed by all attendees. The intimacy of the group makes it possible to open up and not hold back, leading to very honest responses, something that is often not easy to get in everyday life and especially in businesses where different agendas and insecurities do lead to very cautious feedback.
The feedback one gets in a Mastermind group does transcend just the business ideas and issues that get discussed and extends to the own Self. While initially scary to many, it is also very liberating to review the Self in a safe environment and get impartial input. Members of a Mastermind group all come with their own networks and over time they will usually share acquaintances as necessary. Every participant thus has a greatly extended personal network and will be able to get introductions to many people they would otherwise never have had access to.
When problems are tackled head-on and talked through, they often immediately seem smaller. Shared problems seem only half as big. The logic behind this is that verbalizing a problem makes it more tangible and easier to dissect into its constituents. This again makes it easier to find the core of the problem, whilst stripping away a lot of the unnecessary baggage that surrounds it and makes it look bigger than it needs to be.
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Jim Rohn
