I received a ReviewMe request from ToolstoLife and was intrigued by their service so I thought I would share.
Tools to life is completely free online self help coaching system and support network that is a labor of love. They have been helping small business owners and entrepreneurs be more successful, overcome personal issues, improve business relationships, resolve depression, overcome self perceived limitations and get better results.
They wanted to create a website to be able to help hundreds of thousands of people overcome problems and objections for starting a business and get help with a specific problem in their life.
Everyone needs advice and their online coaching (life coaching support groups info) is setup to allow open sharing in a supportive environment. The self directed coaching programs and support network is confidential, private, free and will always be free.
Here is the official information from their website:
"ToolsToLife is a global leader in social networking self-development programs. From Day 1 be informed, motivated and supported by like-minded community as you take daily action toward the life you want. Whether you are sixteen or sixty, an accomplished professional or just graduating high school, this is your companion in effective change and growth. Completely free of charge, TOOLS offers an amazing range of interactive, Internet-based self-help programs. You will also have all the Tools and group support you need as you reach for the stars. Because we believe you can, we help you achieve whatever dreams you seek.
ToolsToLife is the first interactive online self-help social networking program where members create real life changes every day. We have an active community of groups, challenges, cheers and comments. If you like, you can share the adventure and uplift one another. Choose any aspect of your life you want to work on and you will have guidance and online friends all along the way.
TOOLS welcomes adults and adolescents of all ages and backgrounds, occupations and countries to come and enjoy this unique, educational, and innovative environment.
Tools to Life is designed as a universal teaching program. The unique sight-and-sound presentation format delivers a teaching system and quality education across a diverse set of subjects, presented by an amazing range of Experts. Moreover, TOOLS will replenish an ever-increasing and timely base of new self-help programs, with topics like these:
* ToolsToLife * Tools to Optimal Health * Feng Shui Tools * Online Dating Tools * Lose Weight * Job and Career Tools * Quit Smoking * Millionaire Thinking Tools * Green Your Life * Management Tools * Leadership Tools * Deal with School Tools * Investment and Budget Tools * Relationship Tools * Conflict Resolution * Anxiety Tools * Depression * Test Taking Tools * Transformation Yoga Tools * Public Speaking and more…"
I don't know about you - but at the end of a day and a half mastermind session, my head is normally spinning with the ideas that have been generated?
I'll admit that our members often look like startled rabbits, overwhelmed with the "to do" list that they have written for themselves and with the "pings and truffles" (as we call them) that have emerged as the gathering has unfolded.
I hesitate, throughout, to use the word "meeting".
"Meetings" are a heart-sink occasion for many people - "oh - no - not ANOTHER meeting!" could be a cry from the corporate sector.
And we don't want our groups to see their calendar date approaching and feel the same way.
A "meeting" is often a one-way affair, with "bosses/trainers" handing out tasks/data to "workers/delegates" - and can be frightfully dull.
We prefer "conversations" in which true, empathetic, listening tales place - the kind of listening where you are absorbing what the speaker is saying and not simply waiting to make your own next world-changing, insightful, comment.
Because we have learned how to have "conversations", the ideas flow.
Which brings me back to my point - how do we capture the ideas?
Two simple solutions:
1. We use an old fashioned flipchart to record ideas as they emerge - and then take photographs of each flip chart page and distribute them to members as a photo album after each session;
2. I also use a digital recorder to capture my main thoughts and impressions from the 36 hours - the digital recording is saved as an MP3 file and emailed to a professional copywriter, who turns the ideas into a simple workbook that "captures" the content.
3. Workbook pages are then graphically designed to fit with our brand and printed/mailed to each member, to add to a prestigious folder they are given when they join the group.
In this way, we create content, some of which is then used for on-line sales to non-members or as handouts at our public workshops.
The mastermind members are asked which data they are happy to release into the public domain and which they want to keep exclusive.
It's a simple system - which is highly appreciated and which adds value to our offer.
This is the most important thing I've noticed about both my mastermind groups (the third didn't work out and has disbanded.) And it sounds casual, even inconsequential.
You're not in it because of your wisdom. You're in it because of theirs. So be sure you come to each call with what you want to know; where can coaching support what you're up to. If the word coaching doesn't appeal to you, where can brainstorming help?
This arose forcefully in my group of six, when at the end of one session, one of the participants asked us all to look at this question, "How can you come to this call and not be eager to take the coaching?"
I was being a generous ego. I'd gladly support any of them and then I'd listen, gathering what I could. But it takes real effort to determine what I want, what I want now. And to phrase that in such a way that they would understand what I need.
So I really looked at why I was hiding from the coaching. After all, I'm a coach. There's something there about why people are not eager for my coaching. I am still examining this question. It matters to my projects; it matters to my relationship with this group; it matters to my business.
Yes, I've joined yet another one! They keep getting more and more specialized and powerful. First was the fellow Career Coaches, who still meet on a monthly basis via phone; next was the Small Business owners group, who still meet every Thursday morning; and now, the 3 Friends who happen to be Coaches group, who meet at the end of each month at one member's house.
Why three groups? Because at this point in my business as a "solo-preneur" working in a unique field, I need the support of people who can clearly relate to me and my business challenges. I also belong to a few organizations for the sole purpose of networking and staying visible in the community, though I am more apt to give up those meetings over a Master Mind group meeting. As you know, Master Minders gather together to support each other and brainstorm success strategies and as my business hits a new level of growth, I cannot get enough of that!
This new group was formed as a result of friendship connections and shared business goals. Because there only 3 of us (and we may choose to stay that size for awhile), we are able to really dig deep and explore our successes and challenges. Each month, one of us is in the "spotlight" and gets to be the focus of the meeting, discussing whatever coaching or business building issue is most important. The other 2 of us listen, ask questions, challenge, and encourage. We have made profound progress and been brought to tears by insights gained from this powerful venue. All that from a party of 3!
These three groups cover all the important bases for me now - my specific coaching niche, small business development in general, and most recently, a more in-depth coaching/friendship area. So how many is too many? Don't be afraid to explore other groups you learn of. Different people, new ideas, with a unique focus can do no harm. If another one comes across my path, I'll carefully evaluate. It would have to be pretty special and fill a need not already addressed. For now, Three is the perfect number.
Let's address two errors in thinking that affect your personal success in Masterminding:
Error Number One: Underestimating what you can learn from other members. Error Number Two: Underestimating the value of your contribution
Both mistakes tend to occur in industry-specific groups.
Error Number One:
Somewhere along the line, someone taught you to seek out people who are more successful than you are, to "rub shoulders" with them, and to see what you can learn from them. I absolutely agree. In fact, I encourage my clients to go "shadow" people in their industry who are performing at a higher level, so they can see the "gap" between their current level and the desired level and figure out the steps they need to take to take it up to the next notch. All very well and good.
Now back to our Mastermind Group. Example: Let's say you want to join a Mastermind Group of peers in your industry but you want to make sure all the members are above your level of production. If the other members insist on the same thing, there would never be a group! There will always be someone at a higher level and someone at a lower level. Yet, I hear this quite often: "I don't want to be the most experienced member of the group and get stuck with a bunch of newbies". WHY NOT?
Let me be honest. That's your ego talking. Some of the most transformational ideas I have heard came from absolutely green, wet-behind-the-ears people. I have even heard a child say something that turned into a brilliant idea I would have never thought of on my own.
If you are in a receptive state, you will receive. And of course, another universal law is that you get out what you put in. (You reap what you sow)
Error Number Two:
Error Number Two is a close relative of Number One. It goes like this: "What could I possibly contribute? I'm the new kid on the block. I don't know as much as the rest of the people in the group so I'll just listen." This will keep the group from moving ahead. As Sam Silverstein, the incoming President of the National Speakers Association said when he came to visit our Oregon Chapter recently, "All I have to share with you are the experiences I've had and the decisions I've made". That is what each of us has to share with others, and that's the good news. We each have our own stories. Our own past journeys, our victories, our mistakes, and our knowledge and wisdom that resulted from those experiences. THAT is what you bring to the table. Never underestimate that. In your past experiences is some nugget that one of the members of the group needs to hear. It may be just a seed that brings forth another idea, upon which yet another idea may piggy-back. That is how a Mastermind Group works!
Please don't tell me that you don't want to be the most experienced person in the group. You may have the most experience in your industry (assuming your group is industry-specific), but another member have immense experience in something that could really be your next launching pad. Or the simple child-like idea that sprouts your next big success. If you have a child at home, ask him or her a question relating to business, and listen carefully. And if you don't think you have anything worthy to contribute, you need to change your thinking.
When we think about mastermind groups we generally think about scheduled conference calls or meetings with specific agendas or topics of discussion. The biggest trend being promoted these days are social networking sites.
Social networking itself is nothing new but the proliferation of new networking sites is. There seems to be a new one popping up everyday. There are also established sites being more heavily utilized.
Social networking sites are used to reach potential customers and business contacts. Along the way you're going to meet a diverse group of people and genuine relationships will be built.
These relationships will become your virtual mastermind. When you join or start a mastermind group you have specific goal in mind, you look for people with common goals, ethics, standards and mindset. So, why wouldn't you have the same standards when networking online?
You may be using social networks for business reasons but you're also going to connect with some people on a personal level. Any relationship should be built on a solid foundation. Is this person someone you would want in your mastermind?
Masterminds are a good way to refocus, a way to connect with like minded people but, what about the rest of the time? Who are you surrounding yourself with? Have you ever tried changing something about yourself but continued to surround yourself with people who do Not share the same goals?
Look at people who are trying to quit smoking but surrounded themselves with smokers or people who are trying to improve their health but continue to surround themselves with people whose health is not a priority. In the end change is up to the individual but environment is also a big factor.
Think about your personal goals. Is your virtual mastermind helping you reach them? Are they supporting you? We all have people around us that may not have the same mindset and sometimes there's nothing we can do about them. They're in our lives to stay. You do however have a choice when meeting and connecting with new people.
When you connect with someone it's not important that you have the same goals. When people climb mountains they don't all take the same route but they do have the same goal, to reach the top. It doesn't even have to be the same mountain, who are you surrounding yourself with?
Having introduced Deena Douglas' The Seven Steps Into The Mastermind Consciousness to my mastermind group, I confess to taking a step back from really using it to enhance the success of what we were all individually trying to achieve.
Number five of the Seven Steps which is about asking for what you want, states "Knowing that I am in conscious contact with Infinite Intelligence and my Master Mind partners, I now ask for, and accept help and guidance in the area of ...."
Why feel self conscious about saying this as a group? Well it got heard but no one else was showing any enthusiasm for a group response that required us to say " (name) I know that the Mastermind/Spirit hears your request and it is already yours".
Yes, OK I felt a little foolish even though many of the participants are very familiar with the idea of asking for what you want from a higher power. We are mostly familiar with the idea of manifestation, have seen films like The Secret or What the Bleep Do We Know, have mostly attempted in our own ways to connect with a higher spirit.
But you know what? Is it just me or does it feel ever so slightly cultish to respond as a group when each individual has expressed their goals? Maybe everyone else felt a little sheepish too about saying this out aloud.
Number six, which is about receiving, states "I lovingly and gratefully accept that the Master Mind supplies me with an abundance of all things necessary to fulfil my desire. I know that the miracle working power of the Master Mind has responded to my every need. I assume the feeling I would have if my requests were already fulfilled."
I guess this had me thinking that I was assuming all along that this source of power was outside myself. Some Higher Being. And that could be valid too. But I would also like to entertain the idea that there is power in the collective spirit when several minds are banded together to achieve some greater good than can be achieved by one person alone.
So I was quite interested to come across Mary Robinson Reynolds' own Seven Steps to the Mastermind Connection.
One of her steps states "I SURRENDER ordinary thinking. I recognize and accept that I desire to add to my own inherent power the sum and substance of the intelligence, experience, knowledge and spirituality of my MasterMind partners to provide amazing ideas and affirmative language to assist me in generating new results now."
Isn't that neat? Here I must acknowledge my own power and add to that the strength and resources I gain from others in my group as well as some other universal energy that moves amongst us. Indeed, may the Force be with you. And I will definitely share this again with my mastermind group.
A little over a year ago, I was starting a full-time career as a writer after spending 15 years juggling writing, a family and full-time job. Over 1,500 of my articles had been published, as well as several stories in books like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Now I planned to write full-time and live my dream.
However, after a few months, discouragement set in. Working alone made it a challenge to stay excited and focused.
One night, while attending a monthly writing workshop led by local author Shirley Jump at Barnes and Noble at Jefferson Point, I met Laurie Gray and Tammy VanBaalen. Both women had similar aspirations of jump-starting their careers.
Tammy VanBaalen was a licensed clinical social worker. She wanted to market and grow her therapy practice as well as pursue opportunities in life coaching and consulting. She also wanted to receive training in neurofeedback and write articles about her vocation to help people.
Laurie Gray was a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney in Fort Wayne.
She wanted to find publishers for her Socratic parenting book, a young adult novel and a picture book. As a part-time deputy prosecutor, she worked with drug addicts and juvenile sex offenders, so another goal was to find tools to help those people successfully complete treatment and stay out of the criminal justice system.
Each of us had read Jack Canfield's book, Principles of Success, in which he discusses Master Mind groups (Canfield is co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books). None of us had been in a Master Mind group, but we decided to form our own "dream team". In January 2007 the three of us met together for the first Master Mind group.
The basic philosophy of a Master Mind group, according to Canfield in his book, is that "more can be achieved in less time when people work together. The point is to meet regularly with two or more individuals who are willing to share ideas, thoughts, information, feedback, and resources."
When Tammy, Laurie, and I began meeting monthly, we spent time getting to know each other. Tammy found Master Mind forms with questions about goals online and emailed them to everyone in the group. We filled them out and read them to each other at our first meeting.
At our meetings we brought news of accomplishments and progress from the previous month and often asked for input about upcoming projects. Our meetings usually lasted 1.5 hours. The fact that we were all in separate careers was helpful as we brought separate bits of information and networking skills to our group. At another meeting we watched The Secret DVD together and talked about it.
Outside of the group sessions, we individually studied books and other materials that related to the subject of success: Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, Ernest Holmes' The Science of Mind and Wallace Wattle's The Science of Getting Rich: Financial Success through Creative Thought.
After meeting for a year, we are each pleased with our individual and group progress. Over the past few months, Tammy has seen her therapy practice flourish. She also created and trademarked a time-out blanket that she plans to market nationally (http://www.tammy-vanbaalen.com/).
The writing and neurofeedback training goals are on hold, but she is not disappointed. "For me 2008 is already shaping up as a year of opportunity and growth as I have worked to establish priorities that include the growth of my therapy practice," she says.
Laurie's goals have changed somewhat over the past year, too. "I have changed my focus from getting published to learning, growing, and writing. I still hold the vision of my published books as a positive intention, but I focus my energy on what I can accomplish each day towards that result, rather than the end itself."
As a result of her involvement in the Master Mind group, in February 2007 Laurie created the Token of Change(TM), a coin and affirmation magnet set designed to help people focus their thoughts, and create and maintain positive change in their lives. She found a business partner who helped her develop the idea and produce a final product that is now available online at www.TokenofChange.com and in a handful of retail locations. She also wrote My Token of Change: A Coin and Book for Children Ages 3-103.
She adds that a value of belonging to a Master Mind group for her has been the opportunity to hear new viewpoints. "As an attorney, married to an attorney, with lots of attorney friends and colleagues, it has been extremely helpful to me to have a professional free-lance writer and a licensed counselor and life coach as part of my Master Mind group," she says. "Their experience and expertise have fueled my own desire to write and help others in ways my own circles of friends and colleagues could not."
Tammy had read about Mastermind Groups and knew they often met through e-mail or teleconferencing. She has appreciated that our Master Mind group chose to meet in person. "Our group has started small, but is diverse. This has enhanced our ability to get to know each other. I believe all of these things have contributed to the success of our group and that we will continue to provide mutual encouragement and support to each other," she says.
In 2007, the encouragement from my Master Mind group induced me to expand my writing to newer and bigger markets. A year ago, the thought of writing a book was overwhelming. However, as we talked about it, Laurie and Tammy helped me think of it as several magazine articles put together. That made it seem manageable. I'm currently awaiting the publication of my first children's book and am assigned to do three more children's biographies for the same publisher this summer. My goal is to write more books yet this year.
An unexpected bonus came when I wrote about the Master Mind group on my blog (http://kayleenr.blogspot.com/). International entrepreneur and small business specialist Evan Carmichael read it and asked me to blog about Master Mind groups at his website. That monthly column about the value of belonging to a Master Mind group has been published for over a year at this site: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Mastermind-Group/labels/kayleen%20reusser.html.
Tammy perhaps sums up our experiences in the Master Mind group best. "We have found that a Mastermind Group is a great way to meet positive people who are motivated. Whether you are wanting to make changes, grow personally and/or professionally, it is a good way to get support and to establish and stay focused on goals."
"There is no I in Team." Ever heard this expression? I think some have either forgotten it or someone neglected to teach it to them. I have found one thing that can not only ruin a business or a relationship is an ego. If there is one person in the group that has seen or think he has experienced a bit more success than a few others, that person may come to expect others to bow to their needs even in a Mastermind Group.
Ego actually led to the downfall of a mastermind group I belonged to, people didn't want to participate in events because they were often belittled or pushed by one particular member that even the mediator was intimidated by. The particular member seemed to lose sight of the mastermind focus.
Of course, confidence in oneself is important but an inflated ego can push others away and eventually work it's way through a group like a virus through a computer eventually rotting it out from the inside leaving everyone feeling resentful for even taking part. The whole purpose of a mastermind group is people meeting on equal ground to share like minded ideas and work together. It's NOT meant to be a hierarchy. I repeat a mastermind group is not a dictatorship even if you're the one who started it! If you initiate a mastermind group find one to three people who can act as unbiased mediators if possible and tell them to even call you on it and hopefully your ego won't be so inflated by that time that you will listen.
One of the benefits I can say about being a mom is it really teaches you humility. You share everything, don't have many private moments, constantly working as a team with your children and hopefully your spouse and even reveal some not so proud moments when you're children are testing you. ;)
You want a mastermind group to be an enjoyable experience with other peers where you can learn and grow together.
In our dental mastermind groups (The Breathe Business Club) we took advice from our clients last year and opened the doors to their business managers this year.
That was a radical departure from the usual "Owners and working spouses only" rule that has prevailed for the last 7 years.
But the clients have evolved (all of them dentists) and their marketplace has evolved, to embrace a far more serious approach to the business end of things.
So whereas before, they were happy to do their own book-keeping and administration, they now have to cope with the demands of:
1. Sophisticated financial modelling and pricing;
2. Robust marketing systems;
3. Excellent customer service skills;
4. Non-clinical operational controls and
5. Team-building
What historically was the preserve of the typical lone ranger, has now become the responsibility of people with different skill-sets.
In January we allowed business managers to attend our quarterly two-day meetings - and the effect was immediate and very welcome.
Our new guests added to the debate from the "grass roots" perspective - and, to the relief of the clients, often took the lions share of the "fieldwork" back home with them after the event.
Looking forward, we are considering either some special workshops for business managers throughout the year, or even a business managers mastermind group in addition.
By serving the needs of our clients, we are expanding the income generating opportunities in our core business.
Many years ago I was part of a mastermind where we paid a well-known performance coach to facilitate our group's experience.
In the first call the performance coach assigned the members into buddy teams. This was something new to us as we our current process had been to show up on the calls and conduct our mastermind meeting. So why did we need a buddy? We would soon find out.
To help us get started our performance coach gave us a buddy task.
Each week we were to check in with our buddy for 15 minutes to set an intention for the week and state anything that we needed support around. We HAD to have that call regardless if it was 5 am in the morning or 5 pm at night.
So we all embarked into our buddy calls, religiously checking in each week, else the wrath of our performance coach was to be had by all. (We were all a little afraid of this man, which I guess on some level meant there was no way we were going to fall down on our commitments. But I digress.)
What happened over the course of the next 6 months was truly amazing.
My buddy and I flew into massive transformation and accomplishments. We were both relatively clear on our focus and the weekly buddy calls helped us flush out any issues so we stayed on track. We kept our commitment to our time each week and often talked up to 30 minutes.
The second group of two had decent success. They were both floundering a bit with goals and clarity but managed to support each other on an emotional level. The calls happened about 80% of the time and they often talked up to two hours.
The third group couldn't find a time to talk, were not willing to challenge each other to keep the commitment and actually gave up on the group all together.
Notice a theme here? Not only did regular, committed check-in's with the buddy increase our ability to accomplish our goals but an added bonus occurred. Both of the “successful buddy teams” are still close friends almost five years later.
I've used this strategy with the groups I facilitate (without the coach fear factor) and I've found that the members who truly keep their commitment to a weekly buddy connection propel beyond the members who don't.
I believe that the level of accountability, feeling of regular connection to another "like minded person," and weekly clarity about what's truly important keeps us on track like no other process can.
I hope this inspires YOU to engage a weekly buddy connection too.
EvanCarmichael.com is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. Evan also runs a series of successful Mastermind Groups in Toronto for entrepreneurs.
