The First Mastermind
We will never know when the first mastermind was conceived. Whenever it did happen, probably eons ago, that mastermind group very likely achieved their power of purpose. Be it conquest. Be it survival. Very likely, the power of the mastermind allowed us to be what we are today.
Whenever the mastermind is mentioned, Napoleon Hill is often credited with coining that term. Others claim it was the super wealthy Andrew Carnegie, his mentor.
A mastermind is a collection of people who mutually support each other in achieving their goals in any chief aim or purpose such as financial, social, health, relationships and business. But I was taught and had been part of small groups of 5 people that appeared to be far more effective than very large groups or just 2 people.
Power of Purpose and the MasterMind
Forming the first Sangha…after his awakening, the Buddha travelled to the Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, where he set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the five companions with whom he had sought enlightenment. Together with him, they formed the first sangha: the company of Buddhist monks.
Look at the size of the Buddhist faith today. They number in the hundreds of millions.
As a bonus, here is a document for an early formation of a mastermind group that I have used personally. I like it because it is very comprehensive, powerful but not too complicated nor advanced for the early mastermind groups. It is used by kind permission from a mentor. The Power of Purpose be with you all.
MasterMind: The Power of Purpose Course Introduction
The moment you begin this MasterMind journey, ask yourselves this most serious of questions:
What is Your PURPOSE…Within YOUR Master Mind?
First, focus on this word, “PURPOSE”. The most Powerful Master Mind Group has these components in combination and working in concert.
Note: (“Purpose” may be substituted for” Your Chief Aim”).
1) Each person in the Master Mind Group has total trust in each member and in your very own Master Mind Group.
2) Each person brings and offers the best heuristics and the most masterfully creative passion to the group.
3) The Idea Originator presents the Purpose to the best of his or her effort to the group, takes the Master Mind efforts and redevelops the idea further and re-present it to the group for further Master Minding.
4) Each person puts his or herself into the project at hand as though he or she is a part of that business or situation.
5) The Master Mind Group works their ideas together to develop one powerful workable and actionable solution for the idea originator.
6) Each person in the group will be prepared to undertake, when appropriate, to offer direct or indirect assistance or jointly to develop the project further with the idea originator.
7) The idea originator undertakes to carry out the developed ideas or program or business objective or personal issue.
There is a rationale for my preference in using the above outline. Call it luck. Call it providence or the Law of Attraction.
Many years ago, I found myself in the middle of four great mentors in business. They often used their very exclusive Master Mind Group of the four (themselves) to develop their strategies. They were in fact brothers in arms sometimes called the four horsemen in business. They formed a bond unbreakable even when the Grim Reaper stood in the way. In time, with their mentorship I was invited in to become number five.
The extreme quality of ideas demanded and offered by each of them is almost unfathomable. Their commitment to each other and their Master Mind Group is unshakeable. They often cooperated in concert on business deals and political issues. As they stood together, opposition fell. What I was witness to was cooperative efforts at the very highest level.
What it meant to me when I was invited to join them became an experience all Master Mind Groups should emulate. The elation of winning with our strategies strengthened our BOND as brothers (include sisters if you have them in the group) in arms.
Ideas become more powerful and effective as we all developed strategies. But why would this be so? I can best describe it with a word that is actually ancient and yet technologically modern at the same time…”HEURISTICS”.
The Bond in Master Mind Groups
The Power is in the Master Mind as a Group. As the Bond develops the Power of the Master Mind Group grows. That was the “Secret” my mentors divulged. Anyone can understand what is written here, but you can only know it through experience…and therefore, by doing.
When you get stuck…brain fart happens…business development or plans at a stand-still…personal development stalled…want to make more money…expand business…create a better lifestyle…live a more adventurous life…getting married… etc.
The Bond developed within the Master Mind Group has the sort of benefits one person alone cannot imagine. No one can develop or exist in a vacuum. The vacuum in this case is YOU and Your PURPOSE.
When a Purposeful Group of Minds come together for one Purpose, the Power of the Master Mind multiplies the effort exponentially. This happens in Time, Space and Accelerates the effort within the Stream of Time – “The Future comes to meet the Present and on to the Past” – I-Ching(Yi Jing). This describes the process of wisdom developed through time.
Heuristics in Master Minding
The use of heuristics is the companion development of a Master Mind Group.
A Heuristics Description:
The amalgamation of experiences or their parts to form a new but tested through time and use, and become highly effective methods of overcoming situations or solving problems. These result in wisdom.
New heuristics are most often developed from a group of tried and true heuristics. These are well trusted
Heuristics are far wider in scope than a Rule of Thumb or Domain Rules.
Heuristics are often comprised of the above knowledge sets. Each of the above knowledge sets can be developed bit by bit, line by line. Witness the development of A. I. (Artificial Intelligence). Often, text books will try to differentiate Domain Rules as developed using simple questions to Problems and developing the right Answers. Then they often try to logically reason that Rules of Thumbs are tried and true therefore being the result of human wisdom.
How can Rules of Thumb then compare to Heuristics?
More and more, physics, math and astrological scientists with computer engineers try to make sense of the extreme complexities of the natural laws in the world around them. They develop “Fuzzy Logic” and “Multi-dimensional Models” to try to predict and emulate natural development. But wise ones and sages of the ages have already developed them in metaphorical descriptions and practices, sometimes called the Wisdom of the Ages.
Thus Rules of Thumbs are far too simple in solving problems to more complex problems. By comparison, the actual Purpose of Heuristics is used to give real world solutions to complex Problems or issues. The development of new heuristics is often the result of many pieces of wisdom woven together from other heuristics.
Hence, which would you prefer to use and place your trust in: The Rule of Thumb or the Heuristic?
Master Mind Group Formation Assumptions
1) Master Mind Groups are for people who are genuine and extremely serious about their Purpose and want to take that to the nth degree.
2) Each participant cooperates with the others as Honourable Venture Partners. All members forming the Master Mind Group are formally signing on to a Moral Code of Agreement.
3) The Master Mind Group can be formed with at least 2 productive minds. Four or five gathered seems to be a magic number.
4) Each project presented has been researched to the best of the Presenter’s abilities at the time. It is presented to the Master Mind Group for serious development to get you out of that dreaded rut.
5) The Master Mind Group is a partnership that will, “JUST DO IT”. When they start something, they just start and accomplish it!
6) Defeats Procrastination: A wise man once said, ”If it hurts, just get up and stop sitting on that nail.”
7) The master Mind Group is Generous unto itself, but Selfish to others. Their efforts are boundless for the Group Members’ achievements and success. They include exercises, thought-expanding information, cooperation, etc.
8) Set your criteria for Your Master Mind Group. “…find each other through Purpose, Expectation, Knowing and Intention to find the like-minded individuals you would most like to be your Master Mind Partners”.
9) Each member is already well versed or already understands the use of a business plan or goal setting methods. Except within the Purpose of this Master Mind Group, the words “Plan and Goal” are substituted with “Purpose”.
10) Master Mind Group Disclaimer:
There is a stern caveat…if you do return to your original idea and refuse to make use of the ideas presented to you in a powerful mastermind, you must leave the group; otherwise insanity will result.
Definition of insanity: doing the same things over and over again and expecting different or better results.
But why will you want to find a Master Mind Group that fits your criteria, rethink to fit yourself in one or simply go it alone…it’s your choice.
The most common reasons are:
* You’re too egotistical to accept improvement…just your own voice.
* In the “wrong” group – their opinions insult you – you insult their opinions.
* The Mastermind Group is distinctly unhelpful – ideas seem to fall backward, not forward.
* Discussions take far too long and are unfocussed.
About The MasterMind
Remember, once you start, and commit yourself out there…as sales people sometimes tell you,” There are absolutely NO Refunds.” It’s an emotional risk we as Master Mind Members take. Once you hang your ideas, your passion, your heart on your sleeve, there is no turning back. Even if the ideas change your perceptions, your original notions, your product, your horizons will have been stretched so much you never return to where you started from.
There really is no such thing as a “perfect” step by step approach to creating a great Master Mind Group. If anyone asks me what are the main pre-requisites for forming one, I’d say bring to the table these 3 things as outlined above:
1) Purpose.
2) Bond.
3) Heuristics.
You can hold meetings almost anywhere…in a boat, on a hiking trail, in a coffee shop, your home, in a plane…
Quick meetings are often accomplished in less than an hour. But serious situations can last many hours or even over a weekend.
However, I’d remind all Master Minders that sometimes the energy of the group is so effective that the best ideas often come as the very first impression and answers to them. As the late Colin Chapman said,” All I want is 5 minutes of sheer bloody genius!”
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