Tapping Into the Power of the Mastermind

“No mind is complete by itself. It needs contact and association with other minds to grow and expand.” –Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill spent decades sharing the importance of mastermind groups and alliances, including some of his writing in the book Think and Grow Rich. In Think and Grow Rich, Hill describes a mastermind as “A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.” He goes on to share, “Two or more people actively engaged in the pursuit of a definite purpose with a positive mental attitude, constitute an unbeatable force.”

What’s a Mastermind?

Hill defined the mastermind as the “Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

Stepping into a bit of humility for a moment, we can all agree that none of us possesses all of the answers. Each of us brings our own life experiences and knowledge to whatever we’re doing in life, but those experiences and that knowledge are limited. We have gaps. Once we accept that, the next natural path to take is to surround ourselves with a diverse group of people who can help us fill those gaps, bringing their experiences and knowledge alongside our own.

As a professional, this may mean creating a group of other professionals who can help you see answers you don’t see yourself. Personally, a mastermind alliance can take the form of a group of friends who help one another navigate life, relationships, raising kids, etc. In both cases, surrounding yourself with a tight circle of trusted advisors to help you navigate challenges and approach opportunities is massively valuable.

You may be reading this and thinking you already have the beginnings of a mastermind in place. That’s awesome. With that in mind, let’s explore what a true mastermind looks like.

Why are Mastermind Groups so important?

Again, none of us has all of the answers. Layer on top of that the fact that we were created for community, and we’re stronger together, and the value of having a mastermind group becomes more clear. Here are some ways that mastermind alliances provide value…

Mastermind alliances open the door to diverse thinking. Steve Jobs said, “Think different.” One of the ways we do this is by surrounding ourselves with other thinkers who approach life differently than we do. Masterminds make room for new ideas, unique solutions, and out-of-the-box thinking… the kind that leads us away from easy, cutter-cutter solutions.

Mastermind groups provide accountability. They make room for others to challenge us, whether that be our commitment to the plan or the work we’re putting in to chase our purpose. Because we build our mastermind alliances with people we trust, that accountability creates healthy and positive pressure. We push each other toward our goals.

Mastermind alliances create a safe space for problem-solving. Again, going back to the trust element, surrounding yourself with people who are invested in your success and have your best interest in mind allows you to think more freely about solutions. It creates room for exploration and poking at the edges rather than leaning into what we already “know” in our lives.

Mastermind groups bring outside perspectives. Professionally and personally, when we’re in life doing the work, we often don’t see the big picture. As we shared above, we “know” what we know. The mastermind alliance can bring a 10,000-foot perspective to your situation and challenges, like flying a drone above you and seeing your goals and barriers from overhead. This external perspective is often what brings light to new solutions and options.

Call-to-Action

Whether it’s for work or home, start to create your mastermind. First, look around and find those people you can trust, individuals who will invest themselves into you – and who you can (and want to) invest yourself back into. Then, here are three simple tips to get started…

1. Find a small group of like-minded individuals to create your mastermind with.
   Be careful not to make it too big. And, when we say like-minded, that does not mean conforming. Diversity in thinking is what powers the mastermind.
2. Meet with a regular cadence, perhaps once every other week.
   Set a time, schedule it, and protect it in your calendars.
3. Commit, as a group, to stay connected and meet consistently.
   Each individual adds to the conversation. When one misses, that added thought is lost.