Beyond Encouragement: The 6 Secrets to Mastermind Success

by Christine Kane

"Without doubt, the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people." - Napoleon Hill

Mastermind groups have been around for centuries. Many people attribute the popularity of the mastermind to Napoleon Hill's classic book Think and Grow Rich. Hill studied the richest men of the early 1900's, and wrote the book as a result. One of the secrets of those wealthy men was that they all belonged to mastermind groups.

These days, women, creatives, and entrepreneurs are designing new models of the mastermind - and the results are even more powerful and holisticthan the masterminds of the early 20th century.

As someone who is an artist, an entrepreneur, and often alone - I'm a huge fan of this model (in addition to coaching) because it connects me with like-minded people. Otherwise, it's just too easy to get isolated and stuck. And grouchy!

But how exactly does a mastermind work? And how do you know if it's for you?

Below are six secrets of mastermind groups that get results. This will give you an idea of how they work and whether or not you'd like to create your own!

1 - A Mastermind moves you forward.

Support groups are wonderful because they can help heal a trauma or addiction. A mastermind group, however, is not a support group.

A mastermind is about moving you forward and helping you achieve a dream or a goal. Even if the goal is simply "an authentic happy life," the mastermind group is about forward motion, not healing the past. This is why many people who try to form casual masterminds wind up disappointed. To sustain forward movement, all members have to hold that level of energy, and set an intention to keep that momentum! This is not always an easy task!

2 - A Mastermind is about positive mindsets. Whining is not an option!

In a Mastermind, each person gets a chance to present her vision to the group. The person presents her current goals, dreams, and, of course, challenges. She might shed some tears, as this is a natural expression of energy release. But there is little room for whining or staying stuck. Some mastermind groups allow for a five-minute whining period. But then the focus moves back into getting unstuck. Mindsets are a huge part of the mastermind.

3 - A Mastermind won't make you comfortable.

When you join a Mastermind group, you know it's not going to be about hanging out in your comfort zone. In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons people want to take part in a Mastermind! They know that successrarely comes from inside their comfort zones. Masterminds are effective because they require you to expand beyond your old limits.

4 - A Mastermind Group holds you accountable.

My Platinum & Diamond Coaching and Mastermind Groups meet in person three times each year. After the first meeting in a year, it becomes clear that not one of these women will show up for the next meeting without having accomplished the next steps of her dreams and goals. That's because group energy is powerful.

The group is a "team." Team spirit is contagious. And there's wisdom in accountability!

5 - A Mastermind generates ideas and resources.

When a circle of people gives their full attention to one person and her dreams, all kinds of ideas are generated. Resources and connections are often discovered in the process. This is a huge benefit to taking part in any group.

6 - There is a mystical quality to the Mastermind.

If I neglected to mention the mystical, I would be hiding a major element of the Mastermind. Napoleon Hill put it this way: "No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind."

In other words, the intention of the group creates a higher intelligence that is guiding the group and moving it forward. I don't discuss this much, but I have felt it in my Platinum group. The awareness of this "third" mind helps me trust that even when things get uncomfortable or scary for one of the participants - there is something bigger happening.

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My upcoming Uplevel Your Business Program & Blueprint is a holistic step-by-step path to creating profits and purpose in your business. The Mastermind concept runs strong throughout the program with weekly group coaching calls - and with a membership area where students will network and support each other and provide peer-to-peer encouragement. This week is your last chance to sign up! Click here for more details!

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Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com/

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

Why "The Secret" Hasn't Made You a Millionaire

This article goes against much of what passes for spiritual teaching these days. It says that succeeding (even modestly) is hard work. It also says you can do it.

If self-employment isn't turning out the way you want, this could be the most important thing you read this year.

It begins with farming.

Reading the "Farmers' Almanac" won't make you a farmer

You wouldn't expect to transform yourself from a suburban gardener to a full-fledged farmer by reading the "Farmers' Almanac." For one thing, it's a hodgepodge of old wive's tales, raw data, and casual anecdote. Not the kind of guide you need for a complex endeavor.

And then there's the gap between reading it and doing it. Even if the instructions were great and you followed them perfectly, life would happen. Weather would romp across your fields. Insects would treat your crops like a fast food joint. Weeds would do their weedy thing.

It's the same with anything you do, including earning a living.

"The Secret" won't make you successful

Like the "Farmers' Almanac," "The Secret" is a hodgepodge of truth, partial truth, and myth. As such, it's an incomplete map of the territory between where you are and where you want to go.

"The Secret" suggests that the means for getting from where you are to where you want to go is invocation of spiritual laws.

Hogwash. Not that there aren't spiritual laws (that's the part that's true). But the human ego doesn't get to manipulate spiritual law for its own purposes. And, trust me, when you're wanting to attract something into your life, however exalted, your ego is involved.

The ego is not a bad thing

The ego is the engine of choice and action. It decides what we want and gets us into all sorts of messes along the way to getting it. And because we are both spiritual and material beings, we wrestle with the ego. We know that there is more to life than accruing wealth or power.

But here's the deal. Without the ego, there's no wrestling match. And the wrestling match is what life is all about. It's the vehicle for any transformation worthy of the name. Which, by the way, is why I claim that self-employment is a rigorous spiritual path.

So success, both material and spiritual, isn't about bypassing your ego (or pretending to) by invoking the Law of Attraction. It's about engaging your ego in the creation of your life and work.

It starts by deciding what you want to create

Here's one place where "The Secret" and I agree. Creation begins with deciding what you will create. And why on earth would you compromise on this piece? Choose something that makes your heart sing, and be sure to include the material resources you'll need to play the accompaniment.

You might ask if it isn't arrogant to make an audacious choice. And yes, it would be, if you believed you could command your choice into being. But, in fact, you are only the junior partner in the act of creation. And junior partners get to do the scut work. Which brings us to the next step.

Decide how you're going to create

What are you going to do to get results? No passive "manifesting" here. You're going to need something more concrete here than positive thinking. As the junior partner in the business of creating, you're responsible for making what you want take form in the physical world. That's why you have a body. And a brain. And emotions that, well, that motivate you.

You know, or can find out, what you have to do to build what you want, so no excuses.

Do the thing

Start building. Start where you can with what you have. Keep track of what you do so you can learn what works and what doesn't.

And, by the way, keep doing the thing. It's been said that magic is the marriage of intention and action. I would add iteration. Very few things work the way you expect the first time out. The beauty is that you get to keep trying.

A word about energy and inspiration

Creating takes time and effort. Sometimes you even have to start over. That means you will need ongoing sources of energy and inspiration.

But sometimes they won't be there.

In real life, vision fades. Confidence flags. Energy drops. But that doesn't have to mean the end of creating. When you know that there will be bumps and slumps, you won't take them so personally. You can plan for them, which won't take away the ickiness, but will help you stay with it until things are looking up.

You can do this

I don't know if you can be a millionaire. I rather doubt that you want to be. But I know for certain that you can create more of what you want, more reliably, than you probably are now. And the key to doing that is to get into action.

I do believe that all the Universe is here to support you. The only question is whether you are bold enough to do your part.

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

Illegal Music

The latest figures from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) shown that 95 per cent of all music downloaded is illegally obtained and unpaid for. Indigenous music industries from Spain to Brazil are collapsing. An independent study endorsed by trade unions says Europe's creative industries could lose more than a million jobs in the next five years. Maybe the message is finally getting through that this isn't just about fewer limos for rich rock stars.

AND THE RIAA THINK THEY WILL STOP THIS WITH LAWSUITS??? 

THE BEST THING TO DO WHEN AN ONCOMING AVALANCHE IS BEARING DOWN ON YOU IS GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY, OR GET BURIED!

Free music, legal or illegal, is the future.  How artist and record companies determined how to monetize it will be the day their 'bottom' lines stabilize and maybe grow.

How any idiot could believe, with current technology, the massive global population could be sued into compliance is beyond logical reasoning.

Posted via email from Music Business Information

A Better Way to Save Gas??

Eric Peters

There's an easy, uncomplicated - and entirely voluntary - way we could cut our gas consumption by a third our more, without federal fuel efficiency dictates or pocket-picking gas tax hikes. 

All that's needed is a reality check. By which I mean the 85-90 percent of us who don't need and never use the power/capability of 300 horsepower, 140 mph and 0-60 in 6 seconds vehicles revert - on our own initiative - to driving vehicles more in tune with that everyday reality. 

As an enthusiast driver, I'm all for high-powered, high-performance machinery and would never support a ban or punitive measures or threatening regulations directed against them. That said, there are a whole lot of people out there - probably upwards of 80 percent of the driving public - who are driving such machines at not much more than the posted speed limit (no more than 75 mph in every state except Texas) and who rarely, if ever, use even 75 percent of their vehicle's built-in capability. 

Does the typical driver motoring along at 65 mph need a 300 horsepower sport sedan that can easily hit 140? Wouldn't such a driver be just as well-served by a 200 horsepower V-6? That power level, incidentally, was above the rated output of virtually every V-8 engine built for most of the last half of the 1970s and well into the 1980s. We managed to get by. 

How about the suburban mom shuttling kids to soccer practice in her superized, 5,000 pounder 4x4 SUV - skid plates and Hill Descent Control, brush bars and all? 

It's nice to have I guess - if you can afford it. But many of us are buying into advertising hype and buying far more capability than we'll ever need or use. 

Consider: The average 2010 model year family-type car - something like a Toyota Camry sedan - has as much or more power than the highest-powered muscle cars of the mid-1980s. The Camry's 3.5 liter V-6, for example, has almost 270 horsepower. That is 80 more horsepower than a 5.0 liter V-8 powered "high output" Camaro Z28 offered back in 1984. And the Camry's 0-60 time (under 7 seconds) is quicker than the mighty '77 Trans-Am (400 cubic inch V-8) featured in the legendary car-chase film, "Smokey and The Bandit." 

The typical '10 model year family sedan with a V-6 engine is in the same ballpark, 0-60 wise, as most '60s and '70s-era V-8 muscle cars - and has a much higher top speed capability, thanks to better aerodynamics and overdrive gearing. 

We're in the midst of a horsepower race, all right - but unlike the '60s and '70s, no one's going anywhere fast. 

American consumers have bought into the image of cars, even though few of us want to (or are even willing to) use them as advertised. 

Ask yourself: When was the last time you were able to drive faster than 100 mph? Have you ever even driven 100 mph, for that matter? If not, what is the point of owning a car capable of doing 130 or 140 mph? Even if you are so inclined, when will the opportunity arise? It is virtually impossible to drive faster than 80 mph or so for any length of time in and around most of America's major urban/suburban areas - where most of the country's population is. And even if you could do it, it is usually illegal. In most states, driving significantly faster than 80 mph can put you at risk of jail - not just a big ticket. Again - reality check. 

Same with all these absurdly over-capable $50,000 SUVs one sees filling up shopping mall parking spots and suburban driveways all over the land. If you genuinely need a two-speed transfer case and the ability to slog through deep mud and unplowed drifts of snow, there is nothing finer than a real-deal 4x4. But if you don't - then ... why? 

An all-wheel-drive wagon of "crossover" (even a good front-wheel-drive car with decent all-season tires) would probably suit you just as well 99 percent of the time - and return much better mileage, too. 

Need to tow a boat to your slip? Unless you're doing that more than a couple of times each year, why not rent or borrow a big rig to handle that job when you need to - and the remaining 360-something days of the year, drive something more in line with how you actually live? Reality check. 

And what about people who don't even pretend to be enthusiast drivers? That's got to be at least half of all new car buyers. Just ordinary folks who don't even think about driving faster than the posted limit. They don't jam the pedal to the floor and hold it there, or do burnouts or race other cars stoplight to stoplight. 

How many Camry/Accord/Malibu drivers have a real need for serious speed? So what do they need a close-to-300 horsepower engine for? 

It's one thing to burn up a tank of $3 per gallon unleaded premium tearing down some fine back country road or hauling down a freeway at 80-plus, radar detector on ful alert. It's another thing entirely to suck it down idling in stop-and-go suburban traffic or cruise-controlling it to the office at 45 mph. 

Bottom line: If we don't take the initiative, it's going to be taken for us. 

Either the government is going to hit us with punitive taxes, or the oil companies are going to hit us with punitive fuel costs. It's in our own best interests to stop wasting fuel just for the sake of wasting it. 

Posted via email from Enviromenment

Stop Whining and Go To Work

Maybe you should stop whining and adjust your business model. Explain this to me. I got to a store and they have CDs and DVDS for sale. They are both similarly priced. However, one cost the creator let's say 100,000 and the other 100 million. What is the better value for my entertainment? Obviously that's just an open ended question (especially since I'd listen to the CD more than watch a movie) but my point here is value. Twenty years ago, the perceived value of music was a lot higher then it is today. We didn't have the web and for the most part entertainment other than film & television that grabbed our attention. It wasn't easy to create and discover music - you pretty much were forced to like what hit the radio and after you heard it so many times, you became addicted and needed to have it. It's hard to be that addicted now with all the media we have. It's hard to create value enough with so much competition. A digital file isn't worth a thing - it's not tangible and nothing it ever going to change that, we will download files for free forever and that's why we've come so far with technology - because of the sharing the Internet has brought us. Yes the music industry, as well as others, are feeling dramatic effects this new technology has brought us. And guess what? Tough shit. The days of the giant record labels making millions off of the Britney Spears and Nickelbacks of the world will someday be over, because no one is buying. No one cares. Anyone can create music. 

Only those that get their heads out of their asses and learn how to really create a unique business out of their art will make a living off of it.

Great artist are EVERYWHERE....how each develop their 'fan' market will determine success vs failure.

Posted via email from Music Business Information

Stop Whining and Go To Work

Maybe you should stop whining and adjust your business model. Explain this to me. I got to a store and they have CDs and DVDS for sale. They are both similarly priced. However, one cost the creator let's say 100,000 and the other 100 million. What is the better value for my entertainment? Obviously that's just an open ended question (especially since I'd listen to the CD more than watch a movie) but my point here is value. Twenty years ago, the perceived value of music was a lot higher then it is today. We didn't have the web and for the most part entertainment other than film & television that grabbed our attention. It wasn't easy to create and discover music - you pretty much were forced to like what hit the radio and after you heard it so many times, you became addicted and needed to have it. It's hard to be that addicted now with all the media we have. It's hard to create value enough with so much competition. A digital file isn't worth a thing - it's not tangible and nothing it ever going to change that, we will download files for free forever and that's why we've come so far with technology - because of the sharing the Internet has brought us. Yes the music industry, as well as others, are feeling dramatic effects this new technology has brought us. And guess what? Tough shit. The days of the giant record labels making millions off of the Britney Spears and Nickelbacks of the world will someday be over, because no one is buying. No one cares. Anyone can create music. 

Only those that get their heads out of their asses and learn how to really create a unique business out of their art will make a living off of it.

Great artist are EVERYWHERE....how each develop their 'fan' market will determine success vs failure.

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

Why Won't God Let Me Win the Lottery?

---by Billy Graham

Q: It seems like I'm always having financial problems, and they'd all be solved if I could just win the lottery. But I haven't won hardly anything the last few years, although I've prayed and prayed for God to help me win. Why won't God hear my prayers? -- Z.J. 

A: Perhaps God isn't answering your prayers because this isn't the way He wants you to solve your financial problems. I know gambling is very common today (including publicly sponsored lotteries), but the Bible doesn't encourage gambling, nor has God promised to bless us when we gamble. 

After all, how much money have you spent on lottery tickets the past few years? If you added it all up, I suspect it would be a fairly large sum. But what if you had saved that money or used it to pay off some of your debts? Wouldn't your life today be better than it actually is? Only you can answer that, of course, but remember: Every dollar you've gambled away is lost -- forever. 

Instead I urge you to do whatever you can to get control of your finances. Make a realistic budget -- and stick to it. Avoid buying things you don't really need, or that you buy on impulse. If at all possible set up a regular savings plan, perhaps through a payroll deduction plan with your employer. If credit cards have become a problem to you, lock them away or get rid of them. 

Most of all, commit your finances -- and your whole life -- to Jesus Christ. God doesn't want you to be a slave to money or greed. Instead, He wants you to use your resources wisely and for His glory. The Bible warns, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Ecclesiastes 5:10). 

Posted via email from Religion

QUESTION??? IS THERE A GOD?

<script src="http://www.answerbag.com/poll_remote?id=1855444" ></script>Is There a God?

Posted via email from Religion

SUMMER SQUASH AND CORN CHOWDER

Enjoy soup in the summertime by making this satisfying chowder with the season's produce. Top with cheese and bacon for kid appeal.

Total: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2  slices applewood-smoked bacon
• 3/4  cup  sliced green onions, divided
• 1/4  cup  chopped celery
• 1  pound  yellow summer squash, chopped
• 1  pound  frozen white and yellow baby corn kernels, thawed and divided
• 2 1/4  cups  1% low-fat milk, divided
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery, and squash to drippings in pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Reserve 1 cup corn; set aside. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups milk, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to blender; process just until combined. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon bacon, 1 tablespoon remaining onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese

Posted via email from WellCare

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

Cooking with cola or root beer is common, so we figured why not cook with Dr. Pepper? Using soda as the base for a barbecue sauce does two things right off the bat: You get sugar and you get acid. You can literally make a glaze out of nothing more than soda. We went a little further with this recipe, making it a full-on BBQ sauce.

If you don’t like Dr. Pepper, you can substitute another dark soda; I’d recommend root beer. And you don’t technically need to put the sauce in the blender, but it does make a smoother sauce that goes on meats better.

What to use this sauce with? We first did it with slow-cooked pork country ribs, but you could also use it on regular ribs, pork shoulder, ham, beef ribs, or brisket. I bet it would be good on chicken, too, although we haven’t tried it.

You do need to cook this sauce down to get the full flavor, so give yourself some time. Once it’s done, you can store the sauce in the fridge for at least a week.

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups Dr. Pepper
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes, about 15 ounces
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt to taste

METHOD

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.

2 When the onions are just beginning to brown, add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes.

2 Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor and purée it until it is smooth. Put the sauce into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and continue to simmer it for 1-2 hours. The sauce will store for several weeks in the fridge.

Makes 2-3 cups

Posted via email from WellCare