Under Construction: Your Success Club House

Under Construction: Your Success Club House: Remember your private club house as a kid? All your friends would meet there and you'd talk about all kinds of stuff going on in your l...

Your Success Club House

Remember your private club house as a kid? All your friends would meet there and you'd talk about all kinds of stuff going on in your lives. You could talk about anything. Whether it was problems you were having at school or about the big dreams you had for your life. You were safe there. It was great wasn't it?


 But now you're all grown up along with your old buddies. More than likely they've all moved on to chase their own dreams. Wouldn't it be great to have a grown-up clubhouse? Where you could surround yourself with like-minded people? Who had similar goals and aspirations along with the mutual obstacles of achieving success in your lives?  Where strong relationships are built and these people refuse to let you fail? The possibilities would be staggering, wouldn't they? Well they do exist and meet at predetermined times all over the world. They are called Mastermind Groups.


 There are many misconceptions as to what a “mastermind” is. It is not a guru. It isn’t even one person. It is, however, a meeting of minds. Plural. A small community of people, often with diverse backgrounds, who meet on a schedule to help each other toward their individual goals. The term was coined by Napoleon Hill in his classic book, “Think And Grow Rich”. In it he states it is…


 “The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.”  and that

“No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind].”


 And he wasn’t alone in his thinking. Benjamin Franklin had such a group. Countless others including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Trump, and Bill Gates knew the extreme benefits of surrounding themselves with people of the same mind and purpose. Noted author and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, says that “we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with”. Now that is a sobering thought isn’t it? Let that sink in. Are your five building you up or weighing you down? Remember iron sharpens iron. I am positive that no one can achieve true success without the benefit of others of like mind who are as passionate as you are. I believe it’s simply impossible. Here are just four life changing benefits of your mastermind group.

 1. Advice:  Looking at yourself objectively is almost impossible. You’ll receive fresh perspective from different individuals in your group. It will be unbiased, impartial, and unique because of the different skills and experience of each member. After all they’re not in competition with you. You are all part of a think-tank working toward the same objective.

 2. Networking:  By joining a mastermind, doors open for you that otherwise wouldn’t on your own. Your group has connections in various industries which may expand your own resources. There is always an opportunity to cross-promote one another especially through social media. We all know how extremely valuable and powerful this can be.

 3. Synergy:  I know that in my own mastermind I’m always excited before our meeting. There is an aura of expectation and energy that’s difficult to explain. Just being around friends who are as committed and passionate as I am in achieving their goals is quite an experience. These are people who care about me.  I’m not alone in my endeavors any more. We challenge and support one another. It’s almost humbling in a way.

  4. Accountability:  Each member in the group shares responsibility towards its success. Your progress is measured by your actions. New knowledge is of no value if you don’t act on it. You will be expected to implement what you have learned in the group. The whole purpose is to bring back exciting results to the next meeting. This is a great motivator and keeps everyone in focus.


 If you’re serious about achieving your goals, whatever they may be, why would you want to go half way? It’s hard work as it is, much less trying to go it alone. Your personality and will power will still be there when you’re still broke, still overweight, still unknown, or whatever it is you want to accomplish. And still alone. Everyone may like you and believe in you. Your friends and family may be supportive, but honestly, they can’t give you the right advice or the proper motivation. You must afford every opportunity available to help you toward your goals. By not doing so you’re just sabotaging your chances of success. I’m just being honest with you. So are you ready to get started?


 First, what is it you want to accomplish? What do you need help with? Is it a professional or personal goal? More often than not they’re both inclusive. Be specific. You might look for groups in your area to meet with or virtual groups online. Which ever you’re comfortable with. I feel online groups are a better way to start. If you do a search for “mastermind groups” you’re going to get more information than you need. Narrow your search to your specific niche. I warn you most of them are costly. Some very costly. The reason why is because they work. But you don’t want to go there yet. You need to get the feel of it all first. Just read up on how they work.


 One of my masterminds is on Facebook. It’s really a good way to get your feet wet. People have groups, forums, and pages for anything imaginable. Many are based on the mastermind principle. You simply need to do some looking. Now beware of any open group. That’s just a glorified chat room most likely. You want a closed group that must accept you to join. Some require an application. Personally I like the stricter ones. It means they’re serious. They have rules and should. It keeps out spammers and those who aren’t committed to their own success much less that that of the group. What’s great about Facebook groups is you can join as many as you want and find the one that fits your needs. Stick to the one that challenges you. You may even feel a little uncomfortable. That’s good. Progress is uncomfortable. Success is luxurious.


 Well hopefully by now you’re seriously considering the idea. This was really just a primer to get you started. The rest is up to you. Masterminds will challenge you to be a bigger and better person. The one you know is inside you.


 Thanks for visiting and please share it wherever you can. If you have any questions are comments I’d be more than happy to help.

Celebrate Your Small Successes

Do you remember that spark? You know the one you had when you first realized  what you wanted in life.  Were you brimming with excitement?  Did it keep up you awake at night? No doubt it did. So you studied all the right books. You laid out the perfect plan.  You were ready to chase your dreams.  You felt invincible.   Life was good.

 

After a period of time your progress slowed down a bit didn't it?  You became overwhelmed with it all.  This was where the rubber hit the road. When you ran into the inevitable barriers of pursuing  your goal. I say inevitable because no one is immune to them.  Especially in pursuit of something truly worthwhile.  It may be self-doubt, criticism, rejection, or any number of reasons. You felt that it was just too hard or you weren't  talented enough.  You became discouraged and ready to give it all up. Unfortunately most do. If there were a way to help you through these times of doubt you'd be interested wouldn't you?

 

Often times our attention may be too focused on the end in mind instead of the means. We lose sight of our progress along the way and become distraught. It's much like "the tail wagging the dog".  Success is built on our little accomplishments. One and then another , and then another. Constantly gazing into the future of where we want to be instead of where we are gets us no where. A good way to get back in focus is by recognizing and celebrating our small wins.  To reflect back to where we started and then towards how far we've come.  We most likely will be surprised at our progress.  Sometimes we can be our own worst critic.

 

Celebrating our small wins reinforce our commitment and bolsters our self-esteem.  It renews our enthusiasm and reinvigorates us.  These little victories are simply plots along our map of success aren't they? Success is the journey along the way and not the destination.  It's these pivotal steps and the celebration thereof that keeps us motivated and determined. You might keep a journal of these or perhaps a photograph to remind you just how far you've come. It can be anything that helps you measure your progress.  Do not keep it in your head! It must be something tangible you can see and feel.

I suggest you go back to your map and point out a specific step ahead of you now. Then decide on how you will celebrate it. A great dinner, a new movie, or anything that you usually don’t do. It must be something special.  These small celebrations are important and will keep you on the right track toward your goals. But don't celebrate too long.

You have another step and a prize ahead of you don't you? 

 

Thank you for visiting my page.  I hope I've sparked a little encouragement within you.

Please share it with your friends.  One of them may need it right now. Before you leave please leave a comment as to how you will celebrate your next small win!!