Master Mind on the Line

Guest Contributor: Kayleen Reusser
Kayleen's Posts - Kayleen's Blog

Recently I was talking with a friend who meets with her Master Mind group via the phone. She and two friends in another state use 3-way calling to "meet" weekly to discuss their goals, situations, challenges, decisions to make, and personal issues.

They begin at 8am and talk for perhaps 1 hour. Each person has 20 minutes to bring up anything she is dealing with, including any ones she needs help with. They take turns placing the calls so one person doesn’t incur all of the expense.

They originally met at a networking meeting in another state and realized they shared the same goals, passions for their lives. After my friend arrived home from the meeting, one of the women called her and asked if she’d like to join their networking group over the phone. My friend agreed and says it has been a profitable two years. "We bounce ideas off of each other and keep each other enthused about our projects when spirits lag."

This sounds like a do-able approach to me. Last week, Jack Canfield said during his monthly teleconference (www.askJackCanfield.com) that he makes a daily 5-minute phone call with a friend who keeps him accountable for his daily tasks. They each share what they want to accomplish that day and then check in with each other the next day. It is strictly 5 minutes so it does not infringe on work time.

Thinking I needed an accountability partner I contacted a couple of writing friends to ask them if they would do this with me. Both agreed. Some people may not think it necessary to have 2 partners, but my friends are in different parts of the country so that is an advantage to my networking scope. The further distances I have friends in, the more chances of finding book stores for signings in the future, etc. I will do the same type of networking for them in my area.

Plus both friends are working on different projects. One is an author hoping to find a new agent and start a new book. The other is a specialist in the medical field. I'm already learning much from them about writing in these areas which are new to me.

So even though this is a different format from my traditional Master Mind group which meets in person usually once a month, it is still a valuable way to share thoughts and ideas with like-minded people who want to see their lives/careers improve.

Have you thought about trying a different format of Master Mind meeting for added impact? Maybe you've had trouble finding people in your area for a Master Mind. This meeting by phone is an ideal way to combat that problem.

Or if you meet in person maybe you've gone stale in your meetings. Perhaps you could switch to a different restaurant for meeting place or have a speaker come in or have the members participate in a fundraiser.

It's like looking at a picture from a different angle. There’s always something to be gained from a new perspective.

Until next month!

Sharing Your Vision

Guest Contributor: Debbie Lousberg
Debbie's Posts - Debbie's Blog


Here's a great exercise to share with your Master Mind group that came from Jack Canfield's fabulous book, The Success Principles. The purpose is to clarify the vision you have for your life:

On a piece of paper, write down at least three things you want to achieve in each of these seven areas: Financial, Career, Recreation, Physical Health, Relationships, Personal, and Community. Let your mind relax and open up to answers that perhaps you've forgotten about that still are truly dreams you want to achieve. When complete, review your vision daily, once in the morning and again at night before going to bed. This will keep your mind focused on your vision so that aspects of it can begin to manifest.

Taking it one step further, he says to "share your vision for maximum impact", perhaps with a friend whom you can trust to be positive and supportive of your dreams and goals. Upon facilitating this exercise with a class this week, I thought "what better way to share and utilize the power of a Master Mind group?" Why not do this exercise individually and then take turns sharing a particular area with the group and ask for their support while you work toward achieving it? Just like a supportive friend, a Master Mind group will hold your goals in mind and even offer ways to help you make them come to life. By sharing your vision with supportive people, your own belief that it can actually come to fruition becomes that much stronger.

Yet another powerful case for Master Minding - getting a vision of what you want out of your own head, onto a piece of paper, then out among a group of people who only want the best for you. Let them help you realize your dreams!

Jack Canfield on Mastermind Group

Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup fame, wrote about Mastermind Groups in his recent newsletter. The information is valuable and I thought I would share it with you:

How to Accelerate Your Success with a Mastermind Group
by Jack Canfield

We all know that two heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem or creating a result. So imagine having a permanent group of five or six people who meet every week for the purpose of problem solving, brainstorming, networking, and encouraging and motivating each other!

This process is called masterminding and is one of the most effective success tools you can adopt! It is a powerful way to support your dreams and bring unlimited resources to your business and personal life.

Participating in a mastermind group has been critical to me. I can't imagine achieving all I have without one, and it certaily made my goals happen much faster.

A Process for Accelerating Your Growth

The basic philosophy of a mastermind group is that more can be achieved in less time when people work together. Sometimes called a "dream team", your mastermind group is made up of two or more individuals who voluntarily come together on a regular basis - weekly, biweekly, or monthly - to share ideas, thoughts, information, feedback and resources.

Your group can be composed of people from your own industry or profession or people from all walks of life. You can focus on business, increasing each other's income, building a business, raising better kids, or solving a social problem.

Within your mastermind group, you benefit from the other members who empower you and draw out your full talents, resources and abilities. They trigger, stimulate, and motivate you to become all you are capable of being.

Creating Your Dream Team

The key is to choose people who are already where you'd like to be in your life - or who are at least a level above you. In forming your mastermind group, start by carefully enrolling another friendly, on-purpose, like-minded individual. Start by meeting together and then adding other selected, unanimously agreed-upon individuals who will work in total harmony for the good of each other and for the good of the group.

1. Your Dream Team should consist of 4-8 people. Most people find that 6 is the ideal number.

2. Meet weekly, if possible, for an hour to an hour and a half. This meeting must be held sacred as a life-enhancing priority. The meetings should be upbeat, enriching, encouraging and beneficial to each individual and the group's purposes. I always start our meetings with a prayer or an invocation. You could also start with an inspiring story.

3. Each member must agree to play all out -- to openly share ideas, support, contacts, information, feedback, and anything else that will help advance the individual and group goals.

4. Start by having each member share something positive and good that happened since the last meeting.

5. Next, have each member share an opportunity or problem they have experienced since the last meeting and ask for whatever support they would like on it. Appoint a time-keeper to make sure that everyone gets the same amount of time. This is important if you want your group to last. Everyone must get value at each meeting.

6. End by sharing appreciations and acknowledgements.

You'll find one of the real values of a mastermind group is the accountability factor - other members checking up on you to make sure you meet your stated commitments. It's one way to ensure you'll accomplish a lot more!

Forming A Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Kayleen Reusser
Kayleen's Posts - Kayleen's Blog


My MasterMind group is just getting started but I feel we've already made great strides. We three met during a writer's group monthly last summer. At each meeting we chatted with each other, discovering each other's interests in writing and our present careers.

Tammy is a counselor with a new parenting product to market for families. Laurie is a lawyer with dreams of publishing a young adult novel and a book about parenting based on Socrates' teaching. I am a full-time freelance writer with over 1,000 stories in magazines, books, and newspapers. I like to write travel articles, essays, and profiles of people.

Our writing interests vary, but our passion for success is similar. We all want to see our dreams come true. We plan to work hard and help each other by sharing advice and resources. Recently, we met at Tammy's office and watched "The Secret," which Laurie had purchased and already viewed. She had also read the book. She believed it was worth our time together to view it. after watching the DVD, Tammy and I agreed.

"The Secret" is a DVD describing how a person can begin changing his or her life for the better by changing her thinking. It features Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup books) and others who teach what the secret is that will help people live happier lives. I watched Oprah's show on February 8, 2007, as the people involved with "The Secret" talked about it. It was terrific.

I had already begun using the principles from "The Secret", which were first referred to in the Bible in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."

It is a good rule and has helped me stay positive in difficult situations.

At our next MasterMind group we plan to share our newest steps to reaching our goals. Next month, I plan to have some sales to major magazines under my belt, made possible with the helpful suggestions of my Master Mind buddies.

What steps are you taking to reach your goals? I suggest you read the book of Philippians (4 chapters) and watch The Secret. Following the principles in each will help you find happiness.

Take care.

Kayleen Reusser