6 Keys To An Ideal Mastermind/Accountability Group
steffani

6 Keys To An Ideal Mastermind/Accountability Group

Most people don’t know that I’ve been leading mastermind groups for over 20 years.

My first mastermind/accountability group was an actors group that I started just out of college. I put together this group (before the internet mind you…) to surround myself with other actors. (Since I didn’t really know any) And to hold me accountable to submit to agents and search for auditions etc. It totally transformed my life. I achieved everything I wanted in my acting career at that time, thanks to that group. And make some amazing friends along the way who I’m still in touch with. (You know who you are…)  😀

Then I used the mastermind/accountability mind to improve MANY other areas of my life….

  • Health and fitness (currently doing one now)
  • My Love Relationship (always working on this one)
  • My Parenting
  • My Business (SO SO POWERFUL)

I wouldn’t have all I have in this life without masterminds and accountability groups.

I started an accountability group in 2012 with some Afest/Lifebook friends who held me accountable for some MASSIVE personal and professional growth and expansion. And that’s how I launched my happiness coaching business.

I joined an accountability group right before I launched my book. And thank God, because without them I don’t think I would have met my deadlines.

Accountability is POWERFUL. It can get you unstuck. Help you refocus. And move you powerfully forward.

Often with accountability, you can accomplish more in 8 weeks than you would in 4 months. Imagine what your year would look like if you had more accountability to catapult your success and progress in ANY areas of your life.

In 20+ years of experience and research, I’ve discovered what the BEST accountability groups and mastermind groups need.

(I believe it’s best to combine the 2 first and foremost. A mastermind without accountability is not as strong. And vice versa)

Here’s what an IDEAL Mastermind group contains:

  1. The right curated amazing people.

You have to have people who were hand selected and have some things in common. A random group of ‘like-minded’ people is not as powerful as carefully curated people who all have similar goals and interests. I have a list of 10 criteria women need to have to work in my masterminds. And it’s been a game changer.

  1. Excellent content

A group without content is hard to keep engaged. Including excellent and engaging content either weekly or monthly helps to fuel the group.

  1. Collaboration

When the right group is put together everyone in it will have a lot to contribute. That’s why collaboration is key. Each person in the group should contribute in some way. And share their genius. In the right group, everyone is an expert. There may be 1 leader but it’s always a collaboration. And allowing participants to take on different roles helps a lot too.

  1. Commitment

Whether it’s verbal or written there has to be some solid rules for commitment. Being really clear and specific is important. Letting the group know what they’re committing to and getting their agreement. Preferably signed in blood. 😄 (It’s that important). If even 1 person isn’t as committed as the rest it can fall apart.

  1. Consistency

You have to show up. And you have to play by the rules to be on the team. If you’re not gonna show up to practice, don’t expect to play in the game. You have to decide on the ‘rules’ and the consistency. Weekly works best for most groups, but bi-weekly or monthly can be effective too. It all depends on who’s in the group and what you’re all after.

  1. Opportunity for in-person connection

The one thing I think that puts a group over the top, if you have all of the above, is an opportunity to connect in person. When you start a mastermind/accountability group and you can look into each other’s eyes and commit to one another. That can be a game changer. We often do more for others than we’ll even do for ourselves. So when you commit in person to help someone else hold true to their dream. You will be held true to yours. It’s a really powerful piece.

next level life mastermindI have a Next Level Mastermind group for ambitious driven women starting June 11th.

It contains EVERYTHING mentioned above and MORE. Oh so much more. 🙂 Our “Fall In Love Retreat” to kick off 8 weeks of ass-kicking accountability is June 21-24. I have a few spots left. If you want this level of accountability in your life, this might be a great fit for you. Apply here.

Use the 6 elements of an ideal mastermind group above and watch your life soar to the next level.

This shit really works! Who agrees? Let’s hang out!  😀

Why Workshops DON’T Work and What Does
steffani

Why Workshops DON’T Work and What Does

I’m a personal growth JUNKIE. 

If I could actually add up all the workshops, conferences, speakers and retreats I’ve been to over the course of my life, you’d be concerned.  And you should be.

There’s no end to the madness.  I just attended what feels like my 800th  workshop this past weekend.

I sat, in a hotel banquet room, with 33 other participants for fourteen hours a day for five straight days.

We got very little sleep.  No sunlight.  Only hotel food.  And little to no exercise.

This event was a struggle for me.

I couldn’t sit still.  I found myself constantly planning my next brief escape.  Looking for any excuse to get out of the room.  To go the bathroom.  To refill my water.  To get some coffee.  (I don’t even drink coffee) To scour the hotel for dark chocolate.

I’ve been attending events like this for the last 25 years.  MANY per year.  All over the world. 

And I’m setting a declaration right now that this will be my LAST.    

Sure these events serve a purpose.  And 25 years ago I LOVED every minute of them.  I was happy to sit in that banquet room.  To meet other like-minded people.  To soak up the wisdom of some guru or follow some format and structure to help me in some area of my life.

Do they work?  Yes….
Is there a better way?  HELL YES!

What I realized at this event is that I now crave something different.

Of course, I’ll always be learning.  I’ll never stay stagnant and stop growing.  So there will be events I attend in the future.

But the events I’ll go to have to be different.

Here are some things they MUST have:

A beautiful atmosphere.
Excellent people.
Healthy food.
Time for exercise.
Time for reflection.
Unique processes.
Tons of value.
Teachers I admire.  And who are living a truly inspiring life.
An element of giving back.
Continued engagement.
Accountability.
Epic experiences.
And dark chocolate. 

Honestly, if an event doesn’t have all of these things I’m not going.

And I vow to you now that any events I host going forward will contain all of this and more.

Life is too short to spend more than a few hours in a hotel banquet room.

Our time here is SO precious.

When I look back over all the workshops I attended over the years, the most memorable ones were NOT spent in hotel banquet room all day long.  It’s just not conducive.

Who learns that way?

I know I don’t.  I learn from experience.  From connection.  From conversation. 

Not from a multitude of information being thrown at me under forced air vents and fluorescent lighting, all while I struggle to stay awake.

When I did attend events like that the magic of the event usually happened in the hallway.  Or over dinner.  Or from the friendships that were formed along the way.

I think it’s time we raised our standards.  And appealed to ALL learning types.  Why not portray the life we’re actually promising?

And another ‘problem’ with these events is they don’t create change.

A one-time event whether it’s a few hours or 5 days doesn’t create change if there aren’t elements in place to create that change.  For me, that element has to be continued engagement and accountability.  If there’s no one to check in with me to see if I’m doing all that was taught to me, will I actually do it?  Most likely not.

I’ll get back home and life will happen and I won’t have time to implement it all. 

I can tell you from decades of experience as an attendee and from hosting dozens of my own events.

There’s a better way. 

I encourage you to set some of your own guidelines for events you’ll attend in the future.  What are some of your MUST haves?

A great atmosphere?
Speakers of high integrity?
Quality food?
Uplifting people?
A beautiful atmosphere?
An element of freedom?
Accountability?
Dark chocolate?

Define what it is for YOU.  Because YOU are what matters.  No amount of suffering through an experience that’s not custom designed for you will serve you. 

next level life mastermindIf you ARE looking for a quality experience that has all the elements that I mentioned above and more then I invite you to apply for my Next Level Life Mastermind.

This is not a one-off event. (Because those don’t work) It’s a 6-month long accountability program that has 2 luxury retreats and more transformation than would ever imagine possible.  It’s the coaching, the community and the accountability you’ll need to take your life to the next level.  If it feels like a hell yes… apply here.

To your BEST life,
Steffani