What’s a Mastermind?
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And Why Should I Care?
I get this question enough that it's really worth discussing... and you should care... you should always care :)
A mastermind group is a small group of like-minded achievers who understand the value of sharing and crowdsourcing ideas, wins and challenges.
It’s different from having a mentor or a coach because there is no one person looked to for solutions. The facilitator does not coach the individuals but rather moderates the discussion. Members challenge each other to set strong goals, and more importantly, to accomplish them. The members act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues.
Mastermind Groups are Nothing New
Andrew Carnegie, the billionaire steel tycoon, credited his entire fortune to his mastermind group. Napoleon Hill introduced the concept of the “master mind alliance” in his 1920’s book The Law of Success, and expanded on it in his 1930s book, Think And Grow Rich. - both worth a read! Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone had their own small mastermind group and one of the most famous mastermind groups of all time was The Inklings, an authors’ group with members like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Owen Barfield.
What are the Benefits of a Mastermind Group?
While Masterminds offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability, validation, empowerment, and support the true value of being in a Mastermind ultimately depends on you.
Are you willing to:
Be completely honest, humble and realistic about where you are and what you could be doing better?
Set solid goals and actively reach for them?
Be accountable?
Accept constructive ideas and feedback?
Should competitors be in my Mastermind?
Should I join an industry-focused Mastermind?
I am a big believer and doer in thinking abundantly not from a sense of lack, therefore it doesn’t concern me to have what some may view as competitors. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own talents and brilliance. Some choose an industry-focused Mastermind, like finance, real estate, travel, etc. however that too can have it’s advantages and disadvantages. It can be very valuable to have an outsider/customer viewpoint when looking for solutions.
I started the Lady-Preneur Mastermeals because I was missing thoughtful, deep, caring and insightful conversations with like-minded women achievers. I wanted to get the hard conversations going and flowing to benefit all of us.
Then after the MasterMeal dinners women were asking “What’s next?” So I started Brilliance Builders Alliance - an online platform where we can continue the conversations weekly and in real-time chats as well as lots of other cool features!
If you’re interested in either or both let me know OR check out the info on my website about them. Ladies, let keep the conversations flowing!
Best, Janet
“My husband is great and listens well but I needed a different kind of support.
Women just communicate differently and have different problems than men.”
- a Lady-Preneur MasterMeal attendee