The Power of the Mastermind: Is it for You?

This is to let you know what a mastermind group is like. Christine is right when she says it's not about feeling comfortable the whole time.

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 part of his research. One of the common practices of those wealthy men was that they all took part in a mastermind, helping each other solve problems and move forward in their goals.

These days, women, creatives, and right-brain entrepreneur types are designing new models of the mastermind - and the results are even more powerful and holistic than the masterminds of the early 20th century. As someone who is self-employed, 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 what exactly is a mastermind? And how do you know if it's for you? Below are six elements of a mastermind group. This will give you an idea of how they work and whether or not you'd like to form a mastermind, or join one.

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 Group is about positive mindsets. Whining is not an option! In a Mastermind, each person gets an allotted amount of time 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 Group 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 success rarely 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 Coaching and Mastermind Group will meet in person three times this year. After our first meeting last week, it became 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, as well as in the group led by my coach. The awareness of this "third" mind helps me trust that even when things get uncomfortable or scary for me or one of the participants - there is something bigger happening.

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

9 Irresistible Reasons to Go Complaint-Free Starting Now

by Christine Kane

In my upcoming Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program, there's a contract. It's a commitment that each participant will go complaint-free, criticism-free, whine-free, and gossip-free for the full seven weeks of the course. That's 49 days, baby! What does that have to do with Upleveling your Life? Everything! First off, let's get one thing out of the way: It's not about "being nice." This is much deeper.

It's about understanding the power of your Attention. If you have a big juicy Intention or Dream - then your attention is the daily practice of manifesting that goal or dream. It is the essence of Creativity. So, if I'm working with you, I want you to experience the power of shifting your attention from the so-called problem, so it can attract the many solutions! Here are 9 Irresistible Reasons to Go Complaint-Free Today:

1 - When you're complaint-free, you find solutions rather than staying mucked in the problem. If you don't offer yourself the option of complaining, then you train your brain to actually find solutions and get ideas. As Maya Angelou says, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."

2 - When you're complaint-free, you shrink your ego. Complaining is like weight-training for your ego.It makes your ego stronger because it makes someone or something else wrong. And it makes you right. Your ego becomes inflated and puffed up. When you cease the complaining/criticizing/gossiping habit, you tell your ego that your spirit is in charge, not your ego!

3 - When you're complaint free for 21-Days, you've started a new habit and created a new you. Experts tell us it takes 21-days to form a new habit. And while it does take some trial and error to get through those 21-days, most of my clients notice that after only 7-days, they tolerate negativity less. After 2-weeks, they report that when they slip up, they can instantly self-correct!

4 - When you're complaint-free, it's a conversation starter. Imaginary scenario: Hal rushes into your office to gossip. You get to simply smile and say, "Gosh Hal, you know, I'd love to join in, but I'm in the middle of Upleveling my Life. I signed a contract to go Complaint/Gossip-Free. Wanna look at it?" Hal says, "Huh? What's that?" Poof! The energy of the conversation shifts! It goes in a different direction and you get to experience that wildly exciting lightness where gossip would have once existed!

5 - When you're complaint-free, it's a conversation deepener. Hal will listen for a while and then say, "Wow, that's a really great idea. I always notice how easy it is to complain, and I want to be more self-responsible..." You'll share a deeper connection when you each admit that you want to live happier and more focused lives.

6 - When you're complaint-free, you attract new energy.
My clients have reported this one change so frequently, that I barely blink an eye anymore. When you go complaint free, you simply start attracting more positive people to you. The negative people will walk away and think you're a complete idiot. But then, you'll start noticing positive curious people entering your life because you're so much fun to be around.

7 - When you're complaint-free, you banish lazy thinking. Think about it. You can't get much lazier than complaining and gossiping. It's the same well-worn neural pathway you've trudged down day after day, along with 95% of the population. When you're complaint-free, you go a different route. With alertness and alacrity, you find new ways of seeing things. (Plus, you get to use words like alacrity!)

8 - When you're complaint-free, you create happiness. It's challenging at first, yes. But after a few weeks, the common response I get from my clients is this: "You know what? I'm SO much happier!" That's because complaining is just a habit, and it does nothing but drag us down. When your attention is forced to find new places to land, your subconscious becomes a "happiness-seeking missile." And because you're so powerful, you find it!

9 - When you're complaint free with a group, you get to soar on the updraft of the great group energy. When groups work together, magic happens. It's why I created a Platinum Coaching and Mastermind group this year. It's why I invite my blog readers to join in on prayer lists each time I lead my women's retreats. When you link up with a group of like-minded people, effortlessness is created. So - create a cool updraft with the many thousands of people who subscribe to this eZine. Go complaint-free!

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

While Christine Kane is best known for her hip and catchy songs, and the down-to-earth wit of her live performances, her fans and students share that they are inspired most by her message of living authentically, passionately and courageously. Christine's philosophy is that you are the artist and your life is your work of art. That, she says, is what it means to "Live Creative." She now shares this message nationally, speaking to groups ranging from the CIA to the American Hospital Association to NICU therapists. Christine's award-winning blog ranks among the top 10,000 blogs on the internet. She has designed a coaching program to support women in their own empowerment. If you liked today's article, you'd love to spend a weekend with Christine at her "Unstoppable Power of Intention" Retreat for women, June 5-7, 2009. Click here to find out more!

Why Gratitude Makes You Happy and Wealthy

By Christine Kane

Gratitude is more than being thankful one day a year. Gratitude is a practice. For some, it's a way of life.

Why do some people swear by this practice? Why do these people seem to live happier and more abundant lives than everyone else?

Because gratitude is about presence.

It's about waking up in this moment and being here - really being here - and noticing what's around you. Most people are so busy thinking about the next thing, or about their horrid past, that they don't wake up and look around at their present moment - the only moment there is.

Because gratitude is about honoring your life.

Do you ever compare your life with someone else's? Do you ever wish your life were better and more like [Insert Famous Person's Name]? Sometimes we can lose ourselves in wondering how we "measure up" to some standard set by our families or by the media. Comparison is the mind killer. And the antidote is gratitude.

Gratitude requires you to validate your own life. (And you really don't have any other life, do you?) It forces you to say YES to the gift that is you. The choices you've made and the changes you've gone through - they have brought you here. Even if here is a place that needs a little adjustment, that's okay. There are always gifts in any present moment.

Because gratitude is about attracting.

It's difficult to attract abundance and joy if you are constantly saying "no" to what IS. You say no each time you focus on the future or past, or when you criticize something that is in your present moment.

Attraction is about saying Yes. When you say Yes, you shift.

Gratitude says, "Yes, I love this!" And then more of this is attracted, because the this is what you're focusing on.

Because gratitude is about choice.

How you translate any situation is the situation. What you choose to see is the truth (for you).

This isn't proposing that you live in denial or phoniness. It's reminding you that your translation of any life situation is your own choice. We've all heard stories of people who have ignored others' translations of their talent, their projects, their art, their looks, their lives. These people chose their own translations and succeeded. You always have a choice when it comes to how you look at things. Choose to choose gratitude.

Because gratitude is about wisdom.

I think people believe they're being smart if they criticize, complain, and focus on the problems of the world around them.

Smart? Maybe.

Clever? Sure.

But not wise.

It is wise to look for and find the knowing place in your heart. It is wise to choose joy. It is wise to honor your riches. It is wise to focus on and grow the blessings of your life.

Because gratitude is about recognition.

Use your power of focus to hone in on beauty and on what makes your heart sing. Recognize the spirit in your life. It's all around you waiting to be noticed. In the words of Franz Kafka, "It will roll in ecstasy at your feet."

Because gratitude is about receptivity.

Gratitude makes you receptive. It makes you concave. It makes you a vessel, waiting to be filled.

I carry a tiny notebook with me everywhere I go. In it, I write down song ideas. I write down quotes I hear. I write down ideas for stage stories. As I do that, I become more receptive, and more ideas and songs come to me. It's a tool that says to my subconscious, "Send more my way!" And the subconscious always responds.

Gratitude is the same way. It says, "I am receptive! Send more!" And more arrives.

Because gratitude is about creativity.

Creativity is really all about attention. (So is genius.)

When I write a song, I build a relationship with that song. I spend time with it. I get to know it. I pay attention to it. Artists do the same thing with drawings. They spend time in rapt attention and the drawing is born.

Gratitude is how we Live Creative. It is a creative act to notice and pay attention to the moments of your life. Some days it's an enormous act of creativity to find things for which to be thankful.

Start today.

And have a Thanksgiving of presence, creativity, and gratitude!

---

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

The Year I Discovered How Clutter Blocks Success

by Christine Kane

I looked at my phone in horror. "You want me to what?" I said into it. "It's time, Christine. You've been talking about that basement for weeks now. It's time to deal with it."

I had been working with my coach for months at this point. And even though I had reached certain levels of success in my career, I kept getting stuck in the same old ruts. I was about to record my fourth CD, and I was ready to move to a higher level.

Thom was doing what good coaches do: listening carefully, seeing clearly - and of course, pushing me to take conscious action. So, he encouraged me to start small and completely clear out the junk in my basement. Thirty minutes a day.

One section at a time. Building momentum as I went. Each week, during our call, I'd report back on my progress. Each week, I had a new reason why I simply could not let go of some clutter-y item. "But I spent so much on it!" "I might need it someday!" "I could gain weight and need this again." "I paid such a good price for it!" To my credit, I did pretty well at letting go once Thom talked me through these old mindsets. Then came the week I had to face one particularly significant section of the basement.

It was where I stored various pieces of furniture I had gotten at the Salvation Army and at local flea markets when I first began my songwriting career. A bookcase, a kitchen table, a dresser, and a few shelves. I no longer liked or used this furniture because my tastes totally changed. I had begun to cherish beauty and opulence in my surroundings. I wanted to fill my home only with items that I loved.

"So, Christine," Thom asked. "Why don't you want to let these things go?" I was embarrassed. But I told him the truth. "Well, here's the thing. If my music career doesn't work out, I might need them one day. If I fail, and I don't have any money, I might wish I had kept these things." Long pause. "So, you'll be on the street - but at least you'll have that bookcase?" I laughed.

Thom sighed. And what he said next has been a core lesson of creating my success and happiness. He said that everything in our lives has energy. Everything has our thoughts and emotions embedded into it. Old furniture is no exception. In essence, what I was saying to the universe and to my subconscious, creative self was this:

I believe so deeply in my own failure that I'm holding onto physical things that represent that possibility. Every time I walk by these items in my basement, I will be reminded of my inevitable failure. Every moment I'm in my house, my subconscious will know that in the very foundation of my life (my basement), there are items that prove I don't believe in my own success. That week, I called Goodwill, and scheduled an appointment to have the old furniture taken away.

I'd love to report that I smiled and waved as the old clunky furniture was carried away. But the truth is I was terrified. I was letting go of my Plan B. I was saying to the Universe: "I thoroughly believe in my own success." I had never done that before in such a concrete way!

As I wrote earlier, I began recording my fourth CD "Rain & Mud & Wild & Green" as I was clearing out the basement. That CD went on to sell five times more than any of my other CD's. It received rave reviews. Border's Books featured it on a listening post that year, and named it the top CD of the year in my category.

Now, even though I know this success wasn't ONLY about letting go of my old flea market furniture, I have become a firm believer that we each need to pay attention to the energy of the stuff that surrounds us. We need to pay attention to what we are telling our subconscious minds when we hold on.

Now you. What are you holding onto? What thoughts and beliefs are you putting out into the Universe by clinging to it? Are you telling yourself you don't believe in the inevitability of your own success and prosperity? Or that you don't believe you can expand and create better things in your life? Pick one thing - just one small thing - and let it go. Today!

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Christine's #1 Favorite "No-Big-Deal" Creativity Tip

by Christine Kane

Creativity isn't a big deal.

It's like our breath. It's just a part of who we are.

Everyone knows this truth, but most people pretend that Creativity (with a capital C) is something special. People who say, "Oh, I'm not Creative," or "I don't have a Creative bone in my body," sound like they're trying to convince themselves of something, rather than telling themselves the truth. They make Creativity a BIG DEAL because, by doing so, they keep it safely out of reach. It then requires nothing of them, except to occasionally utter the phrase, "Oh, I'm not Creative!" These people are often a little disappointed when I teach them what they pretend they don't already know:

· Creativity isn't a big deal.

· Creativity is not an event.

· Creativity doesn't so much happen, as it is allowed.

This is boring. It's unimpressive. And it's also why so few people Live Creative. It requires presence and practice and allowing. And really, these aren't very exciting things. (Unless you've experienced them! Then you know they are!)

Canine Creativity Class

When I found my dog, she'd been badly abused. I was walking on a gravel road, and she was watching me from a mound of dirt in an old churchyard where she'd been dumped. She started to follow me. Each time I turned around, she'd stop dead in her tracks. When I tried to walk towards her, she'd tuck her tail under her butt and slink away from me. But when I just continued along my way, she followed me. She eventually got closer and closer. Ultimately she followed me home. This is how I experience Creativity.

If I try to turn around and catch it, it turns away. Living Creative is not about willing it or grabbing it. In fact, Creativity rarely takes to announcements like, "Today I'm gonna be Creative! I'm gonna write a novel!" It's a process. It's a way of being. And though it can't be forced, it can be cultivated and allowed. It thrives when you're already open, and your mind is receptive and quiet. There's almost a joyful laziness to it.

So, in the spirit of making Creativity a No-Big-Deal part of our lives, here is my #1 favorite no-big-deal Creativity Tip... Christine's Favorite Creativity Tip: Carry a Tiny Spiral Notebook

Get some tiny spiral notebooks. Carry one in your car. Carry one in your purse. Bring one along in your back pocket. Keep one next to your bed.

Songwriters call them Hook Books. It's a place to write down lyric ideas, especially the "hooky" song titles. But you don't have to be a songwriter - or even a writer - to use this tool. Here's why:

We all have great ideas. We all hear funny comments worth remembering. We all notice breath-taking moments. When we actually take the time to jot them down in our tiny notebooks, then we're honoring these ideas and these moments. We are essentially telling our subconscious mind that our creativity matters enough to take action on it. And we're letting it know that it's no big deal. Our subconscious mind gets the message, and begins its work of noticing new things and generating new ideas. When we keep a tiny notebook, we are training our minds to Attract Ideas.

Each time we put an idea or a moment on paper, it's like shouting "Yes!" to our Creativity. It doesn't matter if we DO anything with the note or the hook or the idea. It's easy for your logical brain to step in and say "Yea but will it pay the bills? Will it lead to a novel?" (In other words, will it be a BIG DEAL?) Maybe. But there are some definite things that this practice will do:

· It will teach you how to be an "Idea Magnet."

· It will show you that there are many solutions inside of you.

· It will train you to recognize what delights you and brings you deep joy.

· It will build your relationship to your Creative Self.

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this tip. Over time, you'll begin to feel the profound effects it has on your life.

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/. WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Succeed through Focus

I did something with my speech students last semester that I know many found helpful. I thought it was an original idea, but I've seen it recommended in two other places this week. One was Christine Kane's blog and I don't remember the other. The fundamental concept is to get what you want, you need to focus.

Now, before I continue, it must be clear that before you can focus, you need to know what your goals are, what is it you want to accomplish today, this week, this year, this decade. You don't need to know every single thing you want to do in this life - and your objectives can and will change, but you can't focus if you have no clue what you want, or what you don't want. So, I am assuming that you have written down somewhere, some things you want to do. Some examples could be getting a new job, finding a new friend/client, making more money, starting a new charity, giving a party, writing a paper, getting a certain grade, meeting a certain person, and so forth.

Many of you can relate to this situation - I know what I want to do, I get busy with one of my numerous projects, and then the distractions appear. I decide to check email, just one more time. I go check to see if there's milk for breakfast tomorrow, someone calls, I remember something else I was supposed to do, and then it's time to be somewhere. This is a perfectly normal life, but it is certainly possible to get more productive through a renewed focus.

Think about this. I learned at a presentation for parents of young violin students that a violinist has to manage about 57 different aspects of playing at the same time: posture, bow hold, intonation, bowing, reading the music, pressure of the bow, placement of the fingers, pressure of the fingers, and so on. So, how does a teacher help the young student improve, without totally demolishing his motivation by pointing out the dozens of defects. The answer is by focusing on one thing at a time.

After hearing my students' first speeches, I saw and hear many mistakes of different kinds: organization, lack of enthusiasm, poor visual aids, unclear pronunciation, boring details, lack of credible sources, insufficient clarity, unprofessional dress, and so forth. While I had to point out several of these in order to give them grades, afterwards I wrote on an index card one single word. But it was a different word for each student: organize, visualize, enthusiasm, structure, credibility. And by the second speech, the students not only improved on the quality I had written on their cards, there were substantial improvements in many other areas. But focusing on one single aspect gives us something concrete we can work on, without feeling overwhelmed.

Multitasking is a trap. While one can do laundry while cooking dinner, the mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time. What is the single thing that can help you get more done in the day? Is it to organize your papers? Be more brief on the telephone? Bring your lunch to work?Exercise? Invest?

This involves some thinking; that's good for you. What is the one thing you can focus on that will have a multiplier effect on several areas of your life? Write it down on an index card - make it attractive. You may want to make several of these and post them in different places. In a month, you can evaluate whether to keep working with this word, or change to another.

Create!