Action and Accountability Through Masterminds

Action and Accountability Through Masterminds

Inspired by this week’s Moms Making Six Figures Podcast where I sat down with my dear friend Jennifer Becker to talk about the power of masterminds, and why now may just be the time to finally say yes to participating in one of your own—for your professional and personal growth, for accountability and community. If you’ve found yourself on the fence in the past, it was probably due to any number of reasons—an already chalk full calendar, an inability to give as much as take, or a lack of clarity about what a mastermind group is to begin with, let alone how it could benefit you. We have your answers and our experiences to share—read on, to discover the key to monumental growth for both yourself and your career.

The Origin Story

The concept of Masterminds Groups was first introduced by Napoleon Hill in his book, Think and Grow Rich. Although published in 1937, the premise of a Mastermind group is more relevant than ever in a quickly changing professional landscape with more individuals seeking to leave the traditional world of the corporate environment behind in order to pursue their why and their passion without sacrificing their quality of life.  Hill describes the invaluable force of a mastermind as just that, “No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind].” 

Hill credits the success of brilliant thinkers like Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Franklin, not because of who they were as individuals, but because of who they surrounded themselves with. Franklin formed one of the first mastermind groups, the Junto Club, that included 12 men who met on a weekly basis to support one another through the creation of incredible contributions to their communities like a volunteer fire-fighting force, the University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Hospital, and the first prominent American library. Through his facilitation of the group, his posing of thought-provoking questions and his focus on productivity, “club members [ultimately] credited the support they received from each other as a major factor in their accomplishments.” 

Accountability

As Jennifer notes in our conversation, just like with anything in life, “You get out what you put in” to your mastermind group. The level of accountability that is established by participating in a peer advisory group is essential to the necessary actions being taken to propel your growth forward. According to Deliberate Directions, a business success and development firm, the secret lies in the three varying forms of accountability agreed to when participating in a mastermind group; these three different levels of commitment ensure your follow through: a commitment you make to yourself, a commitment you share with at least one person, a commitment you share directly to a group you respect. While you may be willing to break a commitment to yourself, very few of can stomach breaking a commitment to another person, let alone an entire group who has supported and championed us in our endeavors. 

What’s more, is that your peers will be equally committed and driven to your success and their own—you are gaining access to fellow master minds and working together collaboratively to create a mastermind collective.  The higher the stakes, the higher the performance—Medium’s Post Graduate Survival Guide describes this phenomenon like this:

Chances are high that a person who joins a Mastermind Group is pretty determined and aims to make the most of his or her life. One can say that most high achievers and passionate people would join such a group — meaning people who are aware of their time and energy. Those people commit to their groups and to contribute. Every new project, therefore, also every mastermind group means that one has to spend time and effort. People expect you to engage with them and support them, therefore a level of commitment is the key of a Mastermind Group.

Action

Whether it’s accomplished through learning new skill sets from those who have already mastered their implementation or through the rush supplied from meeting together with other like-minded individuals in a world that is so isolated, participation in a mastermind group will spur you to take action.  For Jennifer, a mastermind group led her to finally take action and take control of her calendar, establishing standard processes and a workflow as she transitioned from a structured corporate environment into the world of entrepreneurship. 

Your ability to act towards the accomplishment of big goals for yourself and your business will be made that much easier through the support of your group and their example.  For Heidi, the perspective gained from forming a community of such diverse individuals with unique skill sets, allowed her to see some of her own pain points and opportunities through new eyes, restoring both her confidence and excitement to act.  

Your Next and Best Chapter

The list of possibilities is endless for you and your business when you intentionally engage in the process and community offered through a well-chosen mastermind group. Here are a handful of benefits, beyond accountability and action that may be waiting for you on the other side of your yes.  

• The opportunity to give back.
• The ability to broaden your leadership skills.
• The chance to avoid missteps and learn from the missteps of others.
• A hands-on way to learn the basics you may not know.
• A strengthened ability to be proactive rather than reactive.
• A broader view of yourself, your business, and the world.
• Expand your knowledge as you learn from others’ skills and experiences.
• Discover new approaches to your pain points—ideas and solutions you wouldn’t have found by yourself.

Your participation in a mastermind group is also likely the beginning of your next, and best, chapter both personally and professionally, complete with new opportunities, new connections, a stronger network, and lifelong friendships.  

“The quality of a person’s life is most often a direct reflection of the expectations of their peer group.” –Tony Robbins

If you’re ready to change your peer group, to be propelled toward your passion and purpose in both your personal and professional life, find the necessary accountability to help you take intentional action and begin your next, and best chapter by reaching out to the Moms Making Six Figures team via e-mail for more information about Heidi and Jennifer’s first mastermind group for the MMSF Community launching in January 2022: [email protected].