Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together. – James Cash Penney
Several years ago, my dear friend Crystal decided she wanted to create a mastermind group. She invited a select crew of women she had worked with over the years (myself included).
Our mastermind group formed, 7 women strong. Each of us identify as being a creative, so we thought it was fitting to call ourselves the Creatrixes.
While we are all writers, our backgrounds, age range and genre we write in, vary greatly. In the group, our collective experience includes: a university professor, freelance writer, journalist, editor, e-course instructor, professional coach, former owner of a publishing company, ex-firefighter, health psychologist, and the list goes on.
Most of us live in different cities. On paper we may seem like an unlikely bunch to come together. But, our different backgrounds and unique perspectives, is what has made us powerful together.
Over the duration of our time together, we set up regular meeting times, sometimes every two weeks, or once per month – taking breaks for holidays. The meeting format is one hour via Zoom, before Zoom was popular.
If you’re thinking of creating your own mastermind here’s how we’ve done it. During the meeting, each person weighs in on their wins (professional and personal). Then the next step is for each person to state their goals for the next meeting. In between individual sharing, the vibe is much like a collective brainstorming session
If one of us is struggling, or has an idea to bring to life – we use our collective experience and creativity to come up with possible solutions and support. We celebrate each other’s wins and milestones, no matter how big or small. We lift each other up, when life’s upsets and setbacks knock us down. We’ve witnessed the growth in each other. We remind one another of that growth when we can’t see it in ourselves. Over the years, we’ve inspired and supported each other through encouragement, collective creativity, and the unspoken willingness to hold space for growth.
If you are thinking about forming or joining a mastermind, here are my top 3 reasons why it’s valuable to be part of a mastermind group.
#1. Accountability
It’s easy to lose focus and not follow through on your goals when you don’t have to be personally accountable. Consistently showing up and sharing, is at the heart of a mastermind group. Knowing you are going to share your progress, or lack thereof, has a way of motivating you to either get ‘er done, or to come to the group and share where you feel vulnerable or stuck. Either way, having others we are accountable to, helps us get into the habit of being accountable and honest with ourselves.
Being honest and accountable with ourselves is necessary in growing both personally and professionally.
#2. Celebration
We are part of a ‘doing’ society. It’s acceptable to move from one task to the next, without pausing to celebrate where we are right now. The striving nature so many of us employ to reach our goals, is future oriented, with zero room for anything but what’s next on the agenda. This kind of mindset leaves little space for enjoyment and passion. The overdoing epidemic is what leads to burnout and giving up on our dreams.
In a mastermind group, celebrating where you are in the moment, is part of every gathering. In our group, along with our monthly goals, we’ve also set milestone goals. We call them our champagne milestones. When one of us reaches a milestone, we bust out the champagne and have a mini-celebration.
Being part of celebratory energy is contagious. When I get to celebrate one of my teammates winning, I become even more motivated to stay on my path. One of the best parts of being in a group like a mastermind, is you witness others along their journey to dream creation. You see their setbacks and you’re there to lift them up when they lose faith in themselves. To then be able to see them reach a milestone, is almost better than reaching it yourself. You become invested in everyone’s journey.
The collective energy of a mastermind group is incredibly motivating and rewarding. Regular celebration is at the core of maintaining momentum that feels good.
#3. Connection
It’s always more fun to get to where you’re going, when you’re with others who know the inner workings behind your dreams and goals. It feels good to be understood, supported and celebrated. It feels equally good to witness, support and celebrate other human beings.
As Dr. Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston, beautifully shares: “I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”
Sharing genuine connection with others is the foundation to thriving in our lives. Rarely do we remember the exact details it took to reach our goals. But, it’s easy to conjure up the feeling we experienced from being seen and encouraged by others, who were cheering us on every step of the way.
What would you like to create in your life? Imagine what your life would look like a year from now, with the support of a mastermind group.
❤ Emily
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Would you like to feel aligned in a life you love? Come check out my ‘Fall in Love With Your Life, One Week at a Time’ book on kindle and in softcover and hardcover, or explore the different E-Course offerings on my Love Your Life School. It’s a space to create new habits of thinking that will help you fall in love with your life.
Looking for a resource to help you stay on track? Come check out my new ‘Fall in Love With Your Life, Seasonal Planner’ – this would make a wonderful resource to help you track your goals, growth, and self-development over the course of a season, and perhaps a valuable tool to use in your mastermind group!
Written by Emily Madill, first published on Thrive Global.
