My mastermind group has been in a process of change recently.
One member had simply drifted away and couldn't be contacted and the remaining male was uncomfortable both with what he felt he could bring to the group and about being the only male. This group has been going for about a year now and in many ways feels like its still working at finding itself. So I've been keen to look at how long does it takes for a mastermind group to feel established (how long is a piece of string?) and what elements determine the strength and success of the group.
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What's needed for the success of this group?
Similar interests? - Well we are a 'money mastermind group' and while our focus was financial we were mostly on very different paths. It feels like it shouldn't matter as long as we could ask the right questions of each other, support, challenge, encourage and hold each other accountable for what we said we would do. Yet it's a bit of a divide when for example a solicitor and an engineer are trying to understand each other's world.
Similar levels of success? - That clearly is not the case for us as there are many different levels of financial aspirations and success amongst us. What is clear and understood by us however is that financial success is nothing without other aspects of our personal development being in alignment. And that is something of a level playing field.
A shared desire to achieve success? Its extraordinary how capable we are of saying one thing and meaning another! I mean, some of us may intend success at one level but find that we sabotage clearly our efforts. Its as though we are saying to the universe 'Yes I want success' while at the same time negating it in our thoughts and by our actions.
Fear of success can be an disempowering as fear of failure. And of course it sends out mixed messages to the universe. So I'd say a real desire to grow and to strive for your goals was fairly important then to the results people get from the mastermind group.
Awareness of others? Are members willing to really listen to others, make space for them, truely desire to put self aside for a while and go with the experiences that others bring? One member of our group struggled with not being able to bring in personal stories that detracted from the work and time belonging to another member of the group. Its a fine line from being supportive and sharing your expertise in a way that empowers the other person.
Well where that leaves us is that we are now looking for one or two new members to join this group. And what's going to work are people who able to support others, share their experience, talents and skills, have a vision of what they want to achieve and a willingness to strive for it, who will accept support and challenging from others in order to really fan the flames of their own success and who accept the general masterminding principles. It could work beautifully.
Blessings for today
1. The learning and experience that I gained from others thats excited my interests and increased my motivations.
2. My son is mostly coming towards the end of his exams - just about 4/5 more to go. I'll just be glad for him and for me that the end is in sight. What's been good is to see his growing confidence in what he has been able to achieve and that keeps his spirits up which can only be a good thing for me too of course.
3. A couple of days have felt like real summer this week and thats been so much longed for over the many months past. Its wonderful to feel and see and hear and experience summertime.
Personal Development and Success
