While filing paperwork yesterday at home, I ran across an article I had kept for probably 10 years on my bulletin board. (There's no date on it so I'm not sure how old it is.) It is entitled "Quit Dreaming." The author is writing to potential writers. He says to quit dreaming about putting your opinions down and to concentrate on writing practical stuff, like news reporting. That would be more attractive to an editor than opinions and fiction.
As the years passed, I had forgotten the content of the article and only could see the title from my desk. I began to put my own connotation on the words "Quit Dreaming." They would be as follows:
Quit dreaming and get in there and make your dreams come true. You are not getting anywhere just sitting with your head in the clouds. The world is accomplishing things; why shouldn't you? If you want to be a writer, contact editors with queries and suggest ideas. You've had some success; don't stop there. You can do more. Maybe it's time to write a book; quit dreaming and think about the types of books you like to read. Biographies? OK, what person would you like to write about? What angle would you take? Do research and see if there's an interest for this type of book.
Those types of thoughts have been mine for several years now, especially within the last year as I quit my job to become a full-time freelancer.
And yet, since I've joined a Master Mind group and listened in-depth to motivational speakers, they all say, "Keep Dreaming! Make a storyboard of your goals and put it in front of you daily. Make a list of things you'd like to do in your lifetime. Some of them may take a while to happen, but keep thinking about them and dreaming of them and most likely, they will come true."
To me there is a big difference between the first article I had read and the admonitions from the speakers I've listened to. The writer of the article wanted his readers to find a way to get started in the writing world. He believed fiction was a dead end and didn't want his readers to get discouraged at the disappointments to be found there.
But the point of a Master Mind group is to dream whatever you want and to try to make it come true. Of course, this should all be done with the purpose of helping, and not hurting, humanity and self.
My Master Mind group is helpful at keeping me on track. They don't allow me to get discouraged and push me to Think Big! They know I want to send $10,000 to a children's home in this year. I've been able to send part of that amount so far. With half of the year 2007 left to me, I'm dreaming I'll make that goal. I'm praying for it and I know God will honor that. Meanwhile, I'm working my tail off to make it come true.
How to Build Momentum to Make Great Progress Toward Your Goal - Often you'll find the home crowd is a big factor in games because they can cheer the team on and the team literally "feeds" off the electricity. I don't know if you've ever been to a live sporting event but when the announcer says "You can feel the electricity in the air" - he really means it. This is all the more reason to get a mastermind group going. It's one of the best things you can do to build momentum. A mastermind can help build the groundwork more efficiently and can "spark" your momentum in the form of network contacts, resources, ideas, etc.
After a successful Mastermind Group meeting members usually leave full of energy and ideas and are ready to take on the world. The momentum may last a week or two and then life gets in the way again and you fall back into your normal routine.
How can you keep the momentum going and stay in touch with your group members if you only meet once a month or less frequently?
For my groups, every member is partnered up with another member and they are responsible for calling each other every week to make sure they are both following through on their goals. We have also created a private forum for our members to be able to log in and share ideas / brainstorm challenges between meetings.
A new technique that I recently came across is to have a Mastermind blog where each member is responsible for posting every day what they have done to move forward on their goals. While a daily posting might be excessive for some, it can help you keep on track and make sure your attention does not get diverted when life "gets in the way."
What I've found real helpful and has given me a lot of motivation in my new group is our mastermind blog. We post what we have accomplished day by day. Just that is really keeping me on track. I want to share with my group what I've gotten done day by day. The blog is a great tool for between mastermind meeting.
Make the blog private so no one besides your group can see it. I have my blog professional hosted at my own domain name (TheProsperityGuy.com) but for your Mastermind blog one of the above free blog sites is good because only your group members are going to visit it.
What techniques do you use to stay in touch with your fellow Mastermind Group members?
Starting your own Mastermind can be simple...if you know what your goal is. A Mastermind group doesn't have to be a complicated task. You have to know what the questions are before you can answer them.
What do I want to accomplish?
Who do I want in my group?
Do I want to charge a fee?
What will the schedule be?
Knowing what you want to accomplish is very important. Be specific about your goal for the group. You need to have a plan as to how you're going to reach your goal. It doesn't have to be complicated. It could be as simple as picking a topic to discuss. You are the leader of the group as far as the structure is concerned. You are not the boss however. You are there to guide your group, to help them work towards their goals.
The members of your group will set the tone for your meetings. The process by which you invite new members is up to you. You set the guidelines. Flexibility is also important. You never know how a person will conduct themselves. If you feel a member is not contributing in a way that is helpful to the entire group don't be afraid of asking them to leave the group. There are also people who will surprise you as time goes by. The person who you thought may not be right for the group could turn out to a valuable asset. Be patient, look beyond the person's obvious behavior. What you find may surprise you.
Charging a fee is a personal choice. You may just want to cover expenses or build a fund for future events. Building a fund is also a good way to provide tools for your group. It could be a personal development book to help your group between meetings or a practical guide to help your group reach specific business goals. The amount of the fee is also a personal choice. The amount of the fee will have an impact on the accessibility of the group for some people.
The schedule for the group at first will be something you need to decide as well as where it will be. Whatever you decide it doesn't have to be written in stone. Remember flexibility is important. As your Mastermind grows you need to do what's best for the group. Although every member is important you won't be able to accommodate everyone. That's where you come in as a leader and make the final decision.
Starting and maintaining a Mastermind group does require dedication. Don't start one if you're not willing or able to follow through. Understand what is involved and that people will be counting on you for guidance. Every member contributes to the group but you as the leader are the glue that holds everything together.
Most people I've come across who run their own business have goals planned out for what they want to accomplish. They are really passionate about their goals and want to achieve them but for some reason never seem to get there because "life" gets in the way.
A large benefit of any Mastermind Group should be the Accountability Partner. If you commit to someone else you are more likely to follow through on your goals than if you just tell yourself. Having someone to push you and bounce ideas off of also helps.
Blogger Debbie Lousberg discussed this topic in a recent post of hers:
"Get support. Find a friend, coworker, or hire a coach to keep you accountable and moving forward. Check in weekly with that person to track progress and celebrate victories you have along the way."
By sharing your goals with someone and asking them to help you stay on track toward achieving them, it's not so easy to just shove them into a drawer for the next several months and hope they come true somehow. A little bit of self-induced pressure to meet a goal and keep your word with someone is great motivation! Choose this person carefully - someone who is objective, not too emotionally tied to you, and won't let you off the hook. Your "accountability partner" may be a friend, co-worker, mentor, coach, or even a small group of colleagues, such as a Master Mind group. Even better if you can reciprocate by holding them accountable to their own goals.
Make arrangements to meet or phone the same time every week to check in on progress and successes. As this person becomes more understanding of your goals and actions, they may be able to provide ideas, information, contacts, and resources as well. They become an important piece of your network.
A recent post in the Warrior-Wiz blog got me thinking about how success is contagious.
I just got back from Maryland and spending time with Lloyd and Vicki and their inner circle mastermind group out there. I am currently in Nashville with Ed Clay, another one of my creative real estate financing students and we are looking at buying some properties today and helping him start his own inner circle group down here. Man it is exciting.
One of the things that constantly amazes me in our Mastermind Groups is how the success of one member breeds the success of others. Entrepreneurs often need a motivational kick in the pants to get going and move forward on accomplishing their goals. There's nothing like begin surrounded by a group of other entrepreneurs doing great things with their businesses to help you get yourself into gear.
If you're feeling like you're in a rut with your business, go out and find a Mastermind Group to join. One night with a good group can completely change your perspective and help you take your company to a whole new level.
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.
Guest Contributor: Kayleen Reusser
