What is your purpose for starting a mastermind group? What do you hope to get out of it? Do you have specific expectations?

You need to have a clear idea of your purpose before you decide what type of mastermind group will work best for you and who you want to invite to join your group.

A mastermind group should be focused on a result, such as to:

• achieve a goal;
• finish a project;
• create something in your business or community;
• grow or evolve a business;
• experience personal growth;
• learn something together; or
• participate in a creativity group.

About ten years ago, I started a group for the purpose of reading and working though the exercises in author Barbara Sher’s book, Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want. I wanted to create accountability for completing the exercises in the book, discuss ideas, and give each other support and positive feedback about what we were learning. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had created myself a little mastermind group of four. We met in person once a week at my house for about 90 minutes. It was a wonderful experience, and much of what I learned then has influenced me today.

My purpose in starting my current mastermind group was to grow my business. I wanted to talk over ideas and get feedback and support from people I could trust completely. It was important to me that everyone be sole proprietors of a primarily service-oriented business, yet already have information products for sale or a desire to develop them, since that was one of my own burning desires.

I knew I wanted some similarity and common ground among my group members, but I also wanted some diversity. We are all similar in that we are what I call “creative multipreneurs” but different in our actual businesses. This helps us to brainstorm and share ideas. It also opens up the possibility of joint-venture projects.

Some members are stronger in one area of online marketing, for example, and some in others. I personally have cut my learning curve significantly because members have generously shared their knowledge and resources with me. This mastermind group experience has exceeded my original purpose and expectations.

What can you bring to your group? What do you want from your group experience? What is your motivation for creating your own mastermind group? Arming yourself with this knowledge will make it far easier to choose members for your group, or to join an existing group.

I invite you to take a quiz I created to help you in your discovery process. Download the free chapter from my ebook DIY Mastermind Group: Insider Secrets to Creating a Successful Mastermind Group of Your Own. http://www.susanhenderson.com/DIY_Mastermind_Group_ebook.html