Masterminds and Think Tanks are sweeping the country, and many business people desire to access them because of their promising results for members who take them seriously.
For those who need a heads up, a think tank or mastermind is a group of people who meet regularly with a commitment to succeed and reach specific goals. Each member of the group works towards their own growth and advancement while also working for the advancement and success of the other group members. There’s much
more to it than that, but this article is not about defining what a think tank or mastermind is. Rather, this article is meant to help you prepare your thinking and mindset for a think tank or mastermind group, so that’s what we’ll look at here!
The following is what I share with my THINK TANK MASTERMIND members before our first meeting. I hope you gain a lot from these 12 mindset tips!
1. Intentions
In a Think Tank or Mastermind, you should begin by setting an intention for both your actions and your attitudes. Setting right intentions (towards self and others) with empowering and honest motives will help you flourish as you relate to others and as you do the work and activities you set out to do.
2. Goals
In a Think Tank or Mastermind, you must have a clear and specific goal or a definite desire of something you want to achieve. For each meeting you must keep this goal in mind, or if the goal is attained, have a new goal to focus on.
3. Motion
In a Think Tank or Mastermind, you have to come ready to work and ready to MOVE FORWARD. Forward motion is the entire point!
4. Discomfort
In a Think Tank or Mastermind, you must be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It is only when we are challenged that we grow. During your meeting times, you will often feel stretched and challenged. This is a great part of the process. From these challenges you can plan and prepare for greater levels of life empowerment and business success.
5. Sloppiness
A Think Tank or Mastermind is not a place to be sloppy, unprepared, slouchy and overly casual. Since your meetings offer a time to get serious and a way to create and accomplish important life goals, you should be ready and well-prepared. When you come to the mastermind table for your colleagues, come ready to fully serve. When you sit at the mastermind table for yourself, come ready to be served. Your meetings should never be an afterthought.
6. Empowerment
A Think Tank or Mastermind is not structured to help you deal with emotional issues, past hurts, or emotional scars. It is not therapy. It is more about discovering your own empowerment and functioning from it, moving you to new levels of life enrichment and achievement.
7. Accountability
A Think Tank or Mastermind requires accountability from its members. Only when we are accountable for our intentions and actions can we attain to greater heights. Our time and resource investment in such a group is often significant, and so nothing less than full throttle responsibility and accountability will be acceptable for the level of growth and success each member expects.
8. Muck
It is perfectly natural for a little muck and mire to come up for you in a Think Tank or Mastermind, and at times you may even get emotional or shed tears. It is all part of the wonderful growth process. What is NOT a part of growth is for you (or anyone in the group) to stay stuck and focus on the negative. The purpose of a Think Tank or Mastermind is to move out of the muck and into the space of your brilliance and empowerment. You can only do this with a mindset to continually move forward. The muck is there to teach you a lesson that you take with you. The muck is not there for wallowing!
9. Integrity
A Think Tank or Mastermind insists on integrity. Each member must matter greatly to all other members. When it is your turn, you will get full attention and you will have the benefit of receiving fully and completely for that time, since it is YOUR TIME. When it is another’s time, your intention is to offer ideas, resources, strategy, ingenuity, and innovative approaches that will cause that person to leap forward. If this is your attitude and intention, you will receive GREATLY from your group when you are the focus (and even when you are not).
10. Commitment
A Think Tank or Mastermind takes commitment. You are in it through thick and thin, and for the long haul commitment period. Be on time for meetings, and do everything you can to keep your meeting dates.
11. Momentum
A Think Tank or Mastermind starts off slow and builds great momentum over time. At first, you likely don’t know the other members very well. In the beginning, you sometimes must overcome thoughts such as “I feel like the odd man out”, or “I really don’t care for her”, or “these people are so far ahead of me”, or “her work does not seem as advanced as mine”. These types of thoughts are totally natural, but they are also thoughts that should not be given much attention. It’s better to quickly cast them aside, so more powerful thoughts— those that actually help fuel growth and prosperity—can be embraced fully.
12. Source Energy
A Think Tank or Mastermind works on a spiritual level, and taps into SOURCE ENERGY where all creative thoughts and positive, meaningful energy exist. Source energy is released when we determine, with true intentions, to help each member of our group as we would help ourselves. In this space, ideas and amazing solutions seem to flow exponentially, and growth really accelerates. THAT is the REAL POWER of the THINK TANK or MASTERMIND!
I would love your comments. PLEASE SHARE your thoughts below or your experience with a mastermind group! Thanks!
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it with others & spreading some love! Margo DeGange, M.Ed. is a Business & Lifestyle Designer whose mission is to empower you to live & work ON PURPOSE: To fully prosper and significantly impact the lives of others. Margo will help you get crystal clear so you can connect powerfully, embrace RIGHT opportunities, and take focused-action towards your financial abundance & lifestyle success!
I think of mastermind groups or think tanks as tribes. The people you can count on and rely on to push you but also hold your hand. It is an amazingly powerful thing when people come together and support one another. But this really only works when everyone is truly committed and there is no “sloppiness.” Thanks for the truthful article
True Charlotte, and the friendship factor in a mastermind is an amazing thing to see. I think most people who want success for themselves want it for others too. They just need an environment to be able to display that. A mastermind group brings out the best in those who are committed to them.
Thanks for reading and sharing,
Margo
Margo DeGange, M.Ed. recently posted..Write a GREAT Article: A Winning Strategy
Margo, I really liked this sentence: “You are in it through thick and thin, and for the long haul commitment period. Be on time for meetings, and do everything you can to keep your meeting dates.” To me, this says everything. A mastermind is all about commitment: to yourself, to your colleagues and to the entire group as a whole. Role modelling commitment is a must-have for one’s own growth – and the growth of each person – in a mastermind.
Nadine Nicholson recently posted..Do this first to take your business to the next level in 2013
Well stated Nadine. Growth explodes when there is commitment to self and others.
Hugs, and thank you for reading and sharing your wonderful comment.
Margo
Margo DeGange, M.Ed. recently posted..Today’s My Son’s Birthday…so Let’s Revisit ‘Life Lessons, A 21 “FUN” Salute to Help You in Work & Business’!
When we think ‘mastermind’ or ‘think tank’ type programs, of course we intention, goals, support, ideas, sharing … all the usual come to mind. But you’ve done a brilliant job of pointing out equally important and not often talked about aspects of a mastermind group. The success of a mastermind is determined by how all participants show up, right?!
Sloppiness “your meetings should never be an afterthought”. Hello! But it had to be said.
Muck “the muck is not there for wallowing”. Support is great, moving out of muck is better, wallowing doesn’t serve anyone. Great facilitators can move you through this.
Just a couple that stand out.
Miki xo
Thanks Miki! I know that you must see a lot of “MUCK” within your work as you help clients. Yes, we notice the muck so we can move away, but we never ever want to stay, lol!
Thank you, for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Much love,
Margo
Margo DeGange, M.Ed. recently posted..This World May Seem Crazy & Uncertain, but SEE with a Purpose!
These are great mindset tips for a Mastermind group. I especially like number 3…Motion. You definitely have to come ready to work and ready to MOVE FORWARD. I’ve been in groups where people ask for feedback and ideas but never act on them. This can be de-motivating for me! Thanks for this great list – I will share with my buddies!
Danielle Omar – Food Confidence RD recently posted..My 3 Words for 2013
Thanks Danielle.
You make a very important point. In a mastermind, You really must ACT. you will never be in a more empowered position to do so.
Thank you kindly for your input. I value it.
Hugs,
Margo
Margo DeGange, M.Ed. recently posted..Become a Certified Interior Environment Coach©!
Great definition Margo. A Mastermind is the best way to take big steps in our life or in our business but over the past few years it has been used many times in a wrong way, just as an easy tool to ensure a big pay day.
Creating a Mastermind means responsibility, it means accountability, it means leadership and not everybody can offer that to their clients.
Participating in a Mastermind is about everything you described in your article plus responsibility because as a group we are all responsible for the success of each other. And this point is very often misunderstood.
Thank you for shedding some lights on what a Mastermind is and especially what a Mastermind is not.
I love #5
Christine Marmoy recently posted..Role Changing for a Better World…or Not?
I totally agree Christine. I wrapped responsibility up within commitment and accountability, and caring for the others in the group just as you do for your self.
I have seen so much abuse of the mastermind. That is why I talk so much about intention. You cannot take a spiritual principle and expect it to work simply for personal gain. A think Tank or mastermind is not about advancement of the individual, although individuals do certainly advance. It is about tapping into source thinking. It is about ALL members of the group. It is very powerful.
Thanks for sharing.
Margo
Margo DeGange, M.Ed. recently posted..A NEW YEAR with NEW Success!
Margo – I especially like how you point out what Mastermind groups are NOT.
And Number 5, Sloppiness, is a gutsy way to state what is so essential to these groups.
Great article!
Darlene Cary recently posted..With Goals, Clarity is King
Thanks Darlene. I think we owe it to our colleagues to give our best in our group work.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thought. I really appreciate it.
Margo
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