“Great power can be amassed through no other principle than that of the master mind.” Napoleon Hill

In 1987, I joined my first group of masterminds. If you’re not familiar with the term “mastermind,” it’s a group of like-minded people coming together in a spirit of encouragement and support. Growandimprove.com defines Mastermind as “a small group that you meet with to reinforce growth and success while offering mutual support; a group that has been identified and set apart to specifically focus on growth and manifesting success in following areas: finances, spirituality, relationships, and/or health Mastermind groups achieve success by envisioning goals, creating intentions, setting achievable goals, and sharing resources History has revealed that many inventors, scientists, and businessmen/women successful were members of a group mastermind.”

In my original group, I was introduced to powerful books and concepts that still impact my life today, including: Think and Grow Rich, The magic of thinking bigY How to win friends and influence people. My mind expanded, never to return to its original dimensions. Since then I have been involved in various groups. I currently participate in three different groups. One that meets in person for 1 1/2 hours each week; one that meets by phone every two weeks; and a third that meets in person once a month for a full day. Each group is completely different, and my goals are also different for each of them.

A mastermind can be managed in a variety of ways: whatever works best for the group is appropriate. It is important to have some kind of structure. Without structure, a mastermind can become more of a “coffee clutch” or social event. The goal of meeting with your think tank is to set and accomplish specific goals in the group. It should be a safe and supportive environment where people are free to give and receive feedback. If someone is easily offended by honest criticism, it’s probably not a good fit. The goal of the group is honesty with encouragement. Members need to know that what they share during a session will stay with the group. Members should also feel that the feedback they receive comes from the heart and is provided in their best interest. Of course, the person receiving the advice can also choose whether she wants to use it or not. Look at your group as a forum to exchange ideas, as well as a way to encourage action.

To form a group of masterminds, choose members who are at different levels in their experience and career. If you’re the smartest or richest person in the group, it’s probably not the right group for you, unless you’re there to take on a mentor role. Look for people who have achieved the level of success you want. This helps you learn from the experience (and mistakes) of others, helping you progress at a faster rate.

How do you join an already established group of masterminds? Ask. Some groups have been around for a while and, due to the relationships built, are not open to accepting new members. Don’t take it personally; you’ll want that same kind of commitment in your group. If you can’t find one that’s already launched, find a few people who have similar goals and set up a time to meet regularly. Make sure it’s set up so everyone gets what they need from the group.

You can literally feel it when the minds of the people in your group synchronize and become a “master mind”. You’ll find that when you associate with people who encourage you to “go for it” when it comes to your dreams and goals, you’ll reach the top of your career faster than you ever thought possible.

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This is the ninth in a series based on the successful Think and Grow Rich principles of Napoleon Hill.