Ok, I know the title sounds a bit melodramatic...but it's true. I've always been an entrepreneur but I always felt like there was something lacking. What was it? I had no idea.

Then came my own personal Mastermind Group. I'd wanted to start one for a couple years and could either never find the time or the right people to help me launch it.

Well, a couple years ago I finally jumped into networking. I was super reluctant but I went in anyway, kicking and screaming (on the inside). I knew it was important...at the time I didn't know how pivotal it would truly be.

So I joined a small networking group here in town under the BNI umbrella and started to learn. The relationships I made there helped propel me towards my goal of starting a mastermind group.

I remember sitting down for coffee with my good friend Alec and discussing how it should start. Long story short, we launched with three members and quickly capped membership at five (we like small, odd numbers).

I am not exaggerating when I say that a Mastermind Group changed my life...and here's how:

Focus: In a mastermind group the weekly focus (depends on your group) moves from member to member, that way each person gets their time in the hotseat. The ability to have a small, yet focused, group work on your idea, problem or goal for two hours is powerful. I quickly learned that my own focus needed to change. That led to shifting my professional pursuits away from real estate and into the small business arena. Through the help of my Mastermind Group I'm now focused on teaching others how to harness the power of a laser-focused Mastermind Group to help others AND themselves.

Collaboration: I've always loved being part of a team. Whether it was playing soccer as a kid, flag football in college or even a work group in a class, I always enjoyed the feeling of the group working as one. Camaraderie is a great motivator. With a Mastermind Group I found that feeling magnified tenfold. I honestly feel that there is no problem too big that we can't tackle. The power of effective collaboration is amazing and has changed my entire outlook as an entrepreneur.

Passion: Probably the most important thing I learned in my Mastermind Group was about identifying and following your passion. I'd always felt like that was lacking in my life. Not that I wasn't living a fulfilling existence; there was just something in my business life that needed a spark. In that little room, amidst my Mastermind brethren, I found that spark. I figured out that I am madly passionate about helping others. I found out that I'm part entrepreneur, part counselor, part coach, part leader, part consultant and part friend and brother. I never could've found that in a normal networking group. While Chamber events are great, it's hard to get into the "personal" side of business in a large group. It takes a core group of understanding members whose only purpose in coming together is to help fellow mastermind members. I feel that THAT is the real power of the Mastermind Group.

So now you know my experience. I'd love to hear yours. If you have any questions about forming a Mastermind Group please leave a comment or contact me HERE.

Originally posted on Carlos Cooper's Blog