In the books penned by Napoleon Hill, namely, Think and Grow Rich and The Law of Success, Napoleon highlighted the importance of having a MasterMind to achieve success. You need to surround yourself with people who believe you will succeed and are willing and able to help you achieve success, for they will be successful as well through this association. 

To help readers who have not read his books understand the concept of MasterMind, here are some key quotes from his books elaborating on the idea:

I have read these books 6 years ago when I was 26 years old. I could neither understand nor relate to this concept. After experiencing a bumpy start in my early career at two different organisations, one big (with more than 2000 employees) and one small ( with less than 10 employees), I was of the opinion that I could not work with people or in any organisations. I just wanted to be alone and left to do whatever I wanted. Therefore, I was skeptical of this concept mentioned in Napoleon’s book as my personal experience back then wanted so badly to eschew all forms of organisations and teamwork. 

Nevertheless, 6 years down the road, I have realised the limitations of working alone and I have been looking to build my own MasterMind. Through sheer hard work and determination, I am proud to share that I have convinced my Dad, who is the most important person in my life, to be part of my MasterMind. I am also very thankful to all the friends and family members who had given their support to me through their actions and kind words. I will never forget what every single person has done for me in my journey to achieve my dreams. 

I think another reason why I had discounted the importance of a MasterMind was that I had not witnessed people who had put this principle into practice. The closest experience I had was my interaction with a friend who also believes in the quote by Jim Rohn that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. ” 

YouTube Channels and Videos can be a Source of MasterMind

This blog post was inspired by a new YouTube channel (Miriam Follin and Yong Hong) that I discovered a few weeks ago. I had since binge-watched more than 20 videos from their channels. I realised that the couple behind the YouTube channel had successfully built a MasterMind around their family, friends, and patrons who are all rooting for their success. I have told a friend recently that if I were not able to write an article after watching a YouTube video, that time spent had been wasted and I would probably stay away from that channel. This is the yardstick and system I have recently put in place to monitor and manage how I spend my time on YouTube. 

Miriam, from Sweden, and Yong Hong, from China, are a married couple who are chasing their dreams. Through their YouTube videos, they illustrate all the challenges that they face growing their business, maintaining relationships with their cross-border families, and raising their two young kids. 

What really impressed me about this couple is the equanimity (Sanskrit: upekṣā) between them. There is no ego, contempt, or shame between the couple, regardless of what others think about them. Others’ opinions do not really matter to them as they focus on their goals and dreams in life. Yong Hong did not feel shameful confessing that his business has put his family under financial strain while Miriam was willing to shoulder the financial stress and uncertainty with her partner. 

I have not seen many people, especially men, who are willing to acknowledge their failures publicly, take responsibility, and improve the situation. In many relationship dynamics, there is always the urge for an individual to take all the credit and blame others for all the mistakes. It is ever so easy to deny and conveniently forget all wrongdoings. One can always justify his or her actions by persuasion, self-delusion, and eventually changing the goalpost for his or her moral standards. Therefore, it certainly takes a person with great character to accept his weaknesses and focus on learning and improving. Together, this couple formed the cornerstone of their MasterMind by supporting each other, for better or for worse, till they succeed in achieving their goals. (这对夫妻充分展现了同甘共苦的精神。）

Because of their convictions and commitment to help each other fulfill their dreams, they have also successfully rallied their family members to be part of their MasterMind. Their family members stepped forward to lend their support, and showcase their talents and stories. I was really touched by how this couple is able to build a supportive community of family, friends, and YouTube fans. As they have built their mastermind over the last 7 years (since 2015), I believe they would certainly succeed if they continue to be relentless in pursuing their goals. 

How I can start to build my own MasterMind in my life?

I think the most important step I can take to build my own MasterMind is to be relentless in my pursuit of achieving my goals. When I show my commitment to my dreams through actions, people around me start to take me seriously. They want to be part of my success because my positive attitude, earnestness, and probably persistence have inspired them to persist in pursuing their dreams as well. 

I will never forget all the kind words of encouragement and support that people around me rendered when I first launched the educational toy business in 2020. I am immensely grateful to these people whom I will always remember in my heart. 

I became aware of this synergy because I also take active steps to be part of the MasterMind of people with whom I respect and associate myself. 

Even when things are not moving, and rewards are not visible, I am unfrazzled because I know that success will only come to people who never give up. Instead of being disheartened by the lack of progress, I look inward, read and seek advice to figure out what I need to improve on. 

These are the steps I have actively taken since 2015 to build my MasterMind. As mentioned earlier, I have successfully converted my dad to be part of my MasterMind and you can read more about my story here. 

Nevertheless, the only important person in my life who is not ready to be part of my MasterMind is my mum. This really hurts me and I feel so helpless about it. I am not sure what to do about it. However, I know, this is my opportunity to develop more patience and to slowly explain to my mum about this concept.

Unlike our friends or partner(s), we do not get to choose our biological family. Therefore, if you are also struggling in a similar situation as me, be it as a parent or child, I hope that you would find comfort in my story and I wish you the best in building your own MasterMind too.