PRINCIPLE 2 : THE MASTER MIND

Napoleon Hill states that no one has ever achieved lasting success without applying the Mastermind Principle.  Through a mastermind alliance you can appropriate and use the full strength of the experience, training, and knowledge of other just as if these characteristics were your own. 

In the book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill defines a mastermind as “coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.” Nowadays this definition has been lost and many people think of a mastermind as a boardroom meeting or skill swapping networking event.

Though the new form of mastermind can fulfil the original definition of a mastermind, it often doesn’t, among strangers the key component of a spirit of harmony is missing.

Fortunately for the average person, a mastermind alliance can be utilised by following the original instruction. Joining a mastermind does not initially require a group event or even a business when first starting out.

I believe these are stepping stones to a successful mastermind alliance in it’s true intention.

“form a master mind alliance with at least one person in your immediate family and at least one other person among those to whom you are selling your services” Napoleon Hill

1 – Spirit of Harmony

The first and best use of a mastermind alliance  is with your husband/wife (immediate family) A mutual goal in this instance is to maintain a harmonious state, a Positive Mental Attitude and to focus on your definite purpose with someone who cares for your happiness and vice versa. That joint sense of caring encourages the spirit of harmony that is essential to any mastermind formation. People sense this from you as soon as they meet you and feel more attracted to staying around.

2 – Helping Others

Next, align with someone you have the experience or expertise to help. This will enable you to tap in to the challenges they face and call upon your own resources for solutions.

With a potential ideal client, their goal is to be provided with a solution and your goal is to provide one. This type of alliance provides you with a platform to put other principles into action such as a pleasing personality and going the extra mile.  

Helping others also helps you increase in personal value. You may attract further need for your solutions in the form of products or services. This type of alliance can get you paid!  It also identifies, missing links or gaps in what you’re able to provide, so you know the knowledge you now need to acquire and you can utilize a more expert mastermind alliance to gain support.

3 – Invisible Counsel

In the absence of a physical networking group, you can still mastermind with your Self. Napoleon Hill describes doing this with an invisible board of expert advisors, sometimes calling on people in spirit and mentally contemplating their advice. (What they would say if they were still around) He advises meditating on your definite purpose daily and this could be a perfect opportunity to tap into infinite intelligence and your own board of advisors.

I wonder if with the advent of the internet since his time Napoleon Hill would have made use of that instead? Technology makes it easier to access the wisdom of experts whose traits you admire and master minding is the coming together of two or more minds.  The informational content is a written equivalent of the mind of the expert. So when you absorb their words, you also connect with a part of their mind. Browsing online, reading or watching video allows you to have your questions answered straight away without wondering WWxD…

Either way, when the mastermind is between your Self and intangible advisors, the information you can’t find by yourself becomes immediately clear and the added clarity you gain about the expertise you need to attract makes it even easier to utilize the strength of a physical, group mastermind meeting.