I think in to-do lists and excel sheets. Clean, crisp lines and boxes and structure. When anything gets a little too vague or dreamy, I immediately get uncomfortable. I’ve told myself for years that I’m not a visionary, that I don’t think big picture, that I’m not an inspiring leader. And because I’ve told myself those stories, I have retreated even further into my black and white, structured world.
Until entrepreneurship came along.
Like motherhood, entrepreneurship throws your entire universe and existence on its head. I want my business to grow because I am a Type A high achiever. Status quo is a foreign concept to me. But in order for my business to grow, I have to think outside the box. I can’t continue to do what I’ve always done if I want to see growth and change – I’m pretty sure a famous guy told us that that was insane.
One thing I’ve invested in over the past two years is a business mastermind. In fact, I even wrote about my mastermind experience here. I just finished up a weekend long retreat in New York City with my fellow mastermind women and it just clicked in my brain about my biggest takeaway from this experience.
My mastermind gave me the permission and ability to think bigger.
Left to our own devices, we are all inclined to play small. We move slower than we could and think we can’t do as much as we truly can. Now, I’m not advocating for pushing yourself beyond your natural limits or breaking yourself in the process, but when I envisioned my business model looking the exact same in five years from now, I knew I was playing small.
When I think about the value of this mastermind, I used to try and come up with a dollar amount ROI. I took the amount of money I spent and then think about the value I received. Well, I got a couple clients so that’s X amount, and I was able to launch a course which will make Y amount, so I guess it was a good deal.
But I realized, just yesterday, during a journaling exercise where we evaluated and celebrated where we are now compared to nine months ago when we started the mastermind, that this group of women and our leader have given me something so, so, so invaluable.
I now have the confidence and skill to think bigger than I ever have. To play bigger and expect more from myself.
I am so incredibly excited for the future of my business and my life, and its thanks to this mastermind.
Have you ever been part of a mastermind, or any group of peers where you get support and encouragement and challenge over a period of time? How did that change you as a leader or a person?
