The Master Mind principle — or what I refer to as having the “Right People to Guide You” — teaches how successful people select persons who have achieved the object of their desire as someone to emulate, someone to follow, to get advice from, to learn from. Wherever two or more minds come together, a higher mind is created; greater than one’s own. This mind may be harmonious, in which case it can truly be called a Master Mind.
In any endeavor you wish to succeed in, it is beneficial to link up with others of like mind and purpose. The pooling of your individual resources is very valuable.
An example of a Master Mind is an effective marriage. The woman can often stimulate and encourage her husband to achievements that he would not normally be capable of, and many women have succeeded through the support and understanding of her husband. Without the pairing, each would have achieved far less.
Many of the greatest minds of the human race freely admit they did not originate the ideas and creations that made them world-famous. Rather, it was like tuning into a cosmic radio station and gaining the inspiration direct from the mind of God. Scripture reminds us in the Gospel of Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
This principle is therefore like setting up an extremely powerful receiving station; a huge radio telescope tuned to the depths of the heavens, with which to receive every signal pertinent to the goal in mind.
Those who utilize this “people” principle will definitely become great beyond even their wildest dreams. Those who do not will have a much harder time, and may never succeed at all.
Carefully select people who are likely to be in harmony with your life’s purpose. The importance of harmony in the group cannot be stressed enough. Infighting will hinder your growth.
Hence, you must regularly review the people in the group. If a member is not in harmony with the common purpose, that person must be removed, and replaced by someone who is.
Meet with your group regularly to discuss and brainstorm ideas. Though it is not good to discuss your aspirations with all people in your life, those inside your group are your confidants and therefore can be trusted. Jesus has His team of 12 disciples. They worked together as a team. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is an indication that people can change or mislead you. As soon as you discover a person’s loyalty toward your goal is no longer there, stop working with them immediately.
Your goal must benefit every person who works on your team. No one will work for free. Give them money, recognition, or give them an assignment they are likely to enjoy. Why ask someone to do something that is not in agreement with their spirit, they will hate that assignment. How much do you really think will get done, that person will likely begin to gossip with their own confidantes, which is where the Scripture about life and death are in the power of the tongue. So make wise selections, and don’t throw someone a bone, either — they will feel you have belittled them, and they will not be a happy camper!
My three sisters and I formed our group, it worked well, and I could trust my people — aka my Master Mind Group — to work closely with! When we were in business together, we lived together as a family and had daily morning meetings at home over breakfast and coffee. We rode in the same car together, heading for our office daily, and planned the entire way there. We worked together in this manner for 10 years. What a powerful team we made. My Master Mind group.
Eventually, we became known as “The Grant Sisters,” as we improved the annual Georgia Avenue Day Festival and Parade to a higher level each year. What began at 1,000 attendees ended with over 200,000, along with the Caribbean Festival, a spinoff from our festival!
It cannot be all about you, either. Each member must matter. You must show them love. You must show them respect. As my pastor would say, “I’m not making this up, it is not coming from me. This is a principle researched by Napoleon Hill. If you don’t believe me, get the book and read this chapter for yourself. You might get a big surprise!”
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on Twitter @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.