“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” – Proverbs 27:17
Have you ever wanted to surround yourself with like-minded people? Are you tired of being around others that bring you down, never uplift you, or would rather just see you fail instead hoping you succeed?
The people we surround ourselves with plays a very important role in who we become. So how do we go about finding the right people to surround ourselves?
I decided to research the best ways to start a mastermind group and the many benefits of being a part of one
How to start a mastermind group? Here are the four steps:
- Pick your niche
- Find and invite people to the group
- Set a schedule of when and where to meet
- Running the group session
I will explain more on each of these sections, but first, let’s dive into where the concept “mastermind group” originates from.
Quick History of Mastermind Groups
A mastermind group is a peer-to-peer mentoring group in which the members solve their problems with input and advice from other group members. The idea was first introduced in 1925 by one of my
“The coordination of knowledge and effort between two or more people who work towards a definite purpose in a spirit of harmony…no two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind, also known as, the Mastermind.” – Think and Grow Rich
The 4 Steps to Starting a Mastermind Group
1) Pick your niche. Picking a topic on what your mastermind is going to focus on is the first objective. It is important that everyone is picking a common niche for the group. This can be very specific or can be very broad, as long as everyone is a part of the group for similar reasons.
2) Find and invite people to the group. You have to find the right group of people. Get with people that actually want to better their lives. Most people would rather coast through life. Keep the group small, no more than eight people. You must find people that have a similar drive and ambition for improvement. Find people with different backgrounds, that are skilled at what they do, and you will have a diverse group each with different skill sets that everyone in the group can benefit from.
3) Set a schedule of when and where to meet. Make sure to set a time to meet weekly. Make this a priority. Arrange a specific time and day of the week to meet. This must be upheld by everybody as the priority, or the mastermind will crumble with a lack of focus and intention. This meeting does not have to be done in person. Using something such as Skype you can connect people from many different places. I would avoid just using audio as people can get distracted from other things when they are just listening. Masterminds work best when you can all see each other.
4) Running the group session. Have a clear structure and agenda for running the mastermind group. Here is a sample agenda:
– Start the session with the highs/lows for everyone that week. Everyone will get an idea then how everyone’s weeks went. Also, celebrate even the small successes. This will lead to excitement and reassure everyone that the group is working.
– Everyone should have a set goal, and they should explain how they moved closer to accomplishing their goal during the past week. Talk about in which ways you tried to achieve this goal, even if they didn’t work.
– Each week rotate between the members and put one individual’s challenges into focus. The group can work together to try and solve the persons’ issues. Then the following week, another member will be in the hot seat.
– End the meeting with gratitude. Each member explains to another member why they are grateful for that person. Also, everyone should state their weekly objectives for the next week.
That’s it! By following these steps, you can be on your way to starting your first mastermind group. These steps are only guidelines meant to get you on the right track. You can alter them and tweak them to find a formula that is the right fit for you and your group.
Benefits of a Mastermind Groups
A mastermind group will create a vast amount of benefits including;
- A valuable support community. When trying to change or improve in your life, it can sometimes be difficult to get support from close friends or loved ones. A group of people pursuing the same challenges are likely to be a lot more supportive.
- Honest feedback and accountability. Group members will hold each other accountable. You do not want to show up to the meeting and have to explain that you didn’t put in any effort. Having someone to give you honest criticism will keep you accountable for your success.
- Knowledge and making you think bigger. Most of us think too small. The more and more I researched highly successful people, a common roadblock to success is that most people do not think big enough. I tend to put a ceiling on my success or goals, and it doesn’t stretch me as much as if I shot for the stars. Being around others that are like-minded and want to see you succeed, will push your goals beyond your self-imposed limits.
- Growing your network with like-minded people. Networking is important. There are many benefits including building confidence, gaining perspective, job opportunities, etc. Building a network with like-minded people is a great asset for your journey to success.
- Resources. Every person has a different set of skills and knows different people. They may be able to help you with a task, or they may know of someone that can be of help. I myself have been inspired when I am around competent individuals in areas where I am still an amateur.
- Growth and stretching yourself. We all need to keep growing and stretching ourselves to become the best versions of ourselves. It is our nature to stay in our comfort zones. By surrounding ourselves with others that are focused on self-improvement, we too can consistently improve and learn to be our best self.
- Establishing new habits. Have you taken the time to look at your habits lately? Any bad habits? It’s always good to self-check and has self-awareness of where we fall short. For me, I’ll determine something that I am unhappy with and then decide to change it. I only focus on one thing at a time to change. For me, I find that I need to tackle one thing at a time and then it is a lot easier to break a habit.
- Having a group holding you accountable and cheering for your success makes it easier to change your bad habits and replaces them with good ones.
These are just some of the many benefits that a mastermind group can offer. For myself, I am a lot more aware of people that I surround myself with in general. I have intentionally tried to be around others that bring the best out of me and in life!
As Jim Rohn stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
That is why it is of the upmost importance to look around you and see who you’re surrounded by. Are these people pushing you, motivating you? Or are they doing the opposite?
I hope that this post has inspired you to take action and look around at the people close to you. I myself had to eliminate a lot of people that I spent time with because it did not benefit me at all.
Related Questions
What is the ideal mastermind group size?
The ideal mastermind group size is between 4-8 people. If it is too small, the group could lose its dynamic potency. If it is too large, you may run out of time, in which the group sharing will be minimized.
How do I find a mastermind group?
The best way to find a mastermind group is being part of an online community. You can ask others if they are apart or know of groups. You could research within a niche on mastermind groups. Your best chances are too look online and ask around.