Meeting of the Minds

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Imagine you’re bursting with a great idea. You want to jump right in because there are a few things you know how to do really well, but then you realize there are some crucial steps you’re totally lost on. Now imagine you take this idea and you share it with a friend because you’re looking for some help with it.  That great idea rolls around, and is greeted with a “that’s a good idea!”. But within moments you find you’ve moved on to a different subject. The idea has already fizzled from lack of focus and support.

Now imagine you take that same idea and share it with a group who are just as passionate, innovative and excited about great ideas as you. This group is full of movers and shakers who have already found ways to make a lot of their past ideas happen because they are constantly striving towards their own goals. Your idea gets bounced around, built on, and suddenly you have the missing pieces and a lot more motivation. The idea lives on!

Which of the two scenarios sound better?

Of course the second one does. The second option is what happens in a mastermind. A mastermind is a place to present and play with ideas where they won’t get lost in confusion or lack of response. It's a place where ideas and goals are supported with thoughtful replies and objectivity. It’s a place where your goals go to be believed in by professionals and peers who are on a similar trajectory. 

I’ve been a part of masterminds for business and songwriting (I have an online coaching business and I’m an Emmy winning composer). I’ve loved, and gotten tons of value out of each mastermind experience.

On a smaller scale, it’s why I advocate for co-writing. If you’ve ever had a great co-writing experience, you know everything moves and flows quicker. You have a strength that’s balanced by someone else’s strength or have a half idea and your co-writers goes, “Well this is what I’m thinking” and you go, “Oh my god you just completed my idea!”

People who don’t work in teams tend to see great ideas sit for far too long instead of being able to act on their instincts. Often, they tend to think they need to figure everything out on their own and because of that, they miss out on the great feeling of getting to do what they do well, over and over. 

My mastermind experiences became places where I felt understood and where I trusted the advice of the people there. That trust comes largely from being with a select group of people who are on a similar journey. Don’t get me wrong, everyone’s journey is unique, but it’s eye-opening to be paired with those who have similar mindsets but who wouldn’t have met otherwise.

That trust in the group also comes from knowing you’re all truly invested in it. You’re one of a handful of people who have committed not only with words, but with time and money. It’s honestly a motivator that you won’t get anywhere else.

Often when going after a dream, you’re spending money in one way or another. But especially as a musician you can feel some self-doubt about it like, “Am I the only one doing this…Am I supposed to be doing this?”. But when in a functional mastermind group, everyone is able to leave that doubt behind so you’re able to push to levels you didn’t think were possible.

Lastly, the greatest group dynamics happen when there's structure and direction. My favorite masterminds have been ones with specific weekly topics set where we discuss and roll ideas around and where we follow through with a weekly itinerary so the learning process is building on itself. In a mastermind you’re not being led by a hobbyist, but by someone who is professionally doing the thing, and has their own skin in the game. 

In general, the big win for me was when I realized I’m not the only one trying to do this thing, others see what’s possible and are taking these steps with me. It’s fulfilling to help others complete their half-ideas because being able to reciprocate the help that I was getting, gave me extra clarity.

Every creative deserves an exciting and supportive place to take their ideas. Masterminds are a place to go when you’re ready to see what’s possible. 

 

Mike Meiers is an Emmy Award-Winning songwriter, producer, and guitar coach. Mike currently writes for indie artists, has had placements for MTV, VH1 NPR, FOX Sports, History Channel, Showtime, and Target. He’s also the founder and coach at Songwriting For Guitar, helping songwriters enhance their guitar skills so they can write better songs and get them out into the world!

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