Why You Must Join a Mastermind Group
Why you must join a mastermind group
It's often said that success leaves clues, and nowhere is this more true than in the world of business. When we try to find out what separates successful people from those who are not so successful, one of the most common things we find is that the successful person always has others helping them. Whether it’s an inner circle of friends and colleagues or a formal support group like a mastermind group, there are always people around them to offer advice or just lend some moral support.
In his book Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, author Thomas Corley studied the habits of both wealthy and non-wealthy people and found that not only did the wealthy help each other more often, they also held each other accountable when they didn't display their “rich habits” (habits of successful people.) For example, if you have a mastermind group meeting every Monday morning to discuss your goals and progress and one week you show up unprepared or haven't set any goals for yourself, someone in the group will likely let you know.
Some might say that this type of close relationship is reserved for those who are truly successful. However, a mastermind group is not reserved for those who are already wealthy or even those who are already successful. If anything, some would argue that the sooner you begin in business, the more important it is to develop good habits and get help from someone else. Most of us have some idea of where we want to go in our lives. Maybe we want to own a house and raise a family, or maybe one day we would like to contribute something meaningful to the world and make millions of dollars along the way. Whatever our goals are, we can all benefit from the advice, support and wisdom of others.
A mastermind group is a shared commitment to each other to achieve some set of agreed upon goals. It forces you to take responsibility for your actions and the actions of others that impact you. It is the only way you can effectively grow your business if you are going it alone or want to be perfectly honest with yourself about how well you're doing in your chosen endeavor. By joining a mastermind group, you are admitting that you don't have all the answers and want to work with others who can help you accomplish your goals. You build a team of people committed to helping each other reach those goals.
And this is the key to your success: it's not about any one person in the group. It's about the whole group working together to accomplish their goals. Each member brings something unique and special that no one else does. When you combine these talents, it multiplies everything for everyone involved.
Why you should join a mastermind group
There are many reasons why you might want to join a mastermind group, including the following: You can develop and grow your business more effectively by sharing your ideas with others. You may not have all the answers to growing your business, but someone else in the group may have an idea that would help you. The same is true for others in the group. Everyone benefits from exchanging ideas and tools that will help them reach their goals.
It's a lot less lonely being in business for yourself as opposed to being part of a large corporation where nobody knows who you are. Instead of just struggling along on your own, you can have others to share your struggles with. Think about it. If you're working as part of a team, it won't seem like your entire business depends on one person's actions (the owner) and the chances of that person hitting a roadblock will be less likely.
You can offer help to others who are struggling with their businesses or who are new to business in general. You'll be able to provide guidance from the mistakes you made when you started out in business. The most valuable thing you can do is learn from the mistakes you made when starting out, even though it seems counter-intuitive at first. One of the biggest mistakes new business owners usually make is thinking that they know everything. It's hard to admit when you're wrong, especially when you've spent years believing your own hype and telling everyone how brilliant you are. You need to understand that you aren't sure about every single thing if you're running your own business.
You'll be able to assist others in brainstorming and problem solving by looking at things from different perspectives. An executive group member might be able to see a problem from a financial or legal perspective while an engineer may have more insight into the technical aspects of a problem. All it takes is for one person in the group to offer some fresh ideas to help everyone reach their goals.
How to find a mastermind group to join
If you are looking for other people to join your mastermind group, you can begin by finding people you know who have similar goals as you. This can include your friends, family, colleagues and other acquaintances. You can also find a business partner through one of the many business incubators out there or by attending seminars and workshops.
Even if you don't know anyone else in your area with similar goals or interests, there are plenty of ways for businesses to connect online with others around the world. There are forums on the Internet that allow people from all over the world to exchange ideas. You can find these on forums.io, or you can use Meetup.com to find similar-minded people in your area.
You can also join a mastermind group yourself if you are looking to grow your business. There are many groups that focus on specific industries and business topics, such as real estate, marketing, content creation and more. If the idea of working with other individuals is something you'd like to try, then you should look for an executive training program or mastermind group that offers this type of training or mentorship opportunity. New York City has the Business Alliance which offers a variety of executive programs, some which include mentorship groups for new and established businesses seeking guidance from others who have been in business for years.
You will also find executive groups that cater to women and minorities, like The Women's Alliance. They offer a variety of programs aimed at improving women in business as well as providing opportunities for people looking to start their own business.
If you want to take the plunge and join a mastermind group, you should begin your search for potential groups by creating a list of ideal characteristics that you want from these types of groups. You can include the type of person you'd like to work with (more mature, younger, etc.) as well as the type of topics you'd like to discuss at meetings. If you have any special areas that need improvement in your business (accounting skills, copywriting, etc.
Conclusion
Joining a mastermind group is one of the best ways for you to learn how to grow your business and improve yourself in the process. Not only does it offer you a better understanding of how businesses work, but it can also give you access to people with new lessons and experiences that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.
By joining a business mastermind group, you will:
Learn from other's mistakes and experiences as well as your own.
Gain insight into working with others. You'll quickly realize that it's not all about you or your issues; it's about a group of people coming together to help each other achieve their goals through group support and collaboration.