The Guys Who’ve Altered My World

What’s a Mastermind Group?

I was thinking what a great idea it would be to tell you about my mastermind group.  First let me define what that is. I’ve heard this term tossed around by at least one of my mentors.  He also published a post about his on his website and that’s when my intrigue kicked in. I began to search it out and found content by a guy who was in a mastermind group with Dave Ramsey before he was [famous] Dave Ramsey.  At any rate, my definition is a group of people who master some aspect of life that can be of benefit to influencing my own and others in the group.

I set out on a mission to choose the smartest guys I knew, really know.  In this post, I want to tell you about these guys, I call x-men or xtra-men.  I have reserved this term for a book I’m writing on extraordinary men [The eXtra-men].  I want to share this with you with the intent to convince you to do something similar. But before I do that, let me explain how the mastermind works.

How the Mastermind Works

The mastermind isn’t just a group, it’s intentional meetings with the group.  The group gets to decide the topics, but we have all agreed to meet once a month, so 12 times a year.  The goal is to encourage each other to accomplish their respective greatest dreams, to provide listening ears, and advise regarding any challenges we might have and lastly we want to take the greatest opportunity we have to collectively make a mark on the earth that cannot be erased.

My Mastermind Group

Here are my guys and they are in no particular order.  I couldn’t place an order on them if I wanted to [I guess I could, but I wouldn’t].  Let me share with you what each of these guys contribute to my life.

Learning to use my creative abilities and step out on a limb.
This first guy is the kind of guy that took me a minute to understand.  He’s very creative. We’ve been friends for more than 15 years. He and I have certainly done life together and experienced many ups and downs.  What Sam gives me is the courage to use my creative skills. More importantly , Sam has incredible [or is it credible] faith.  He will not only climb the tree; he’ll be the first to go out on the limb.  Even after he has fallen, he still takes the leap of faith without any nets.  

On another note, I’ve had the privilege of baptizing Believers with Sam.  We ran an audio-visual ministry together. We were known to tag-team in prayer and, oh boy, if you think I can pray, Sam can definitely out pray me.  Last thing about Sam, once we attempted to raise the dead. Yes, you read that correctly… While our attempt wasn’t what God wanted at that time, He, Sam had enough faith to go raise someone we loved dearly from the dead.  X-man? Indeed; an eXtra-ordinary man, Sam Pugh.

Having an overseer keeps you safe from even yourself.
This next guy I would consider bone of bone and flesh of my flesh.  It’s like we’re cut from the same cloth. For as long as I can remember, we’ve been partnered together.  I don’t mind letting him lead me. There is nothing on earth that I wouldn’t do if it came from his lips to do it.  He’s proven trustworthy.  There is no human-being alive that loves me more.  For most men that’s a relationship very few will ever have.   

What this guy gives me is confidence, safety, and a drive to work unlike any other.  There are very few people that will work as hard as he will. Whether he understands the job/task or not, he is all in.  He is the kind of person who will push you beyond the limits you have set to go. He doesn’t know the meaning of quitting.  Standing by his side, I have the confidence needed to succeed. He has had the tough job of seeing after me my entire life [40+ years] and has done a great job.  There’s not much he wouldn’t give for me. He has the skills I need to make me successful. He is the reason for every success I’ve ever had in life. This guy is my brother.  X-man? Indeed; eXtra-ordinary man, Jesse O. Clark [JOC].

Every great team member must have determination.
While I’ve only known this next guy for around 5 years, he is a force all of his own.  I’ve witnessed this guys make life decisions that most people would never make. I’ve seen this guy take hold of his faith and fall for God in ways I’ve never seen.  Honor and respect oozes from his pores. Disciplined as a soldier and passionate about mentoring others, this guy takes it to the next level. While maintaining a balance between his professional work, home, marriage, parenting, and serving, he still has the determination to further his education and teach post secondary education in his downtime.  Seal team 7 can’t touch this guy.

What he provides me with is determination.  The more he does the more that I think I can do.  The more he studies, the more I study and write. The more he mentors, the more I coach.  He would say it’s the other way around, but what would you expect from a guy of this magnitude.   X-man? Indeed; eXtra-ordinary man, Antonio Smith.

Believing that it’s never too late to be great.
This next guy has been around my family for a lifetime.  He would probably kill me if I mentioned his profession, so I won’t.  Just know, he’s the only person in this particular profession that we know.  He’s accomplished, but you’d never know it or hear about it. It’s not something he puts in your face.  This guy certainly has had life come at him and throw a few challenges his way, but takes it all in stride as he continues to be all that he can be.  This guy in less than 3 years after completing his (serious) degree, obtained his dream job, quit it, and moved on because his dreams weren’t good enough.  Imagine a person who says…his dreams weren’t big enough; there’s more that he can accomplish.

I take from this guy his youthfulness.  He convinces me to be “insane”, but in a good way.  When you think you can’t, he will tell you all the facts as to why you can.  This guy is like a son, I never had. It might be a case of kidnapping in a way.  I call him my son anyway. “Smart” isn’t a word I’d use to describe him; it’s too common a word.  X-man? Indeed; eXtra-ordinary man, Mark Smith [The God-son].

Family, friendship, and longevity take on new meaning.
This next guy, I’ve know for somewhere close to 20+ years now.  When we first met, we were young consultants and I didn’t like him very much; he was too friendly for me at the time.  This guy knows how to change the course of life. He’s a student of it and is willing to teach me as he goes. He constantly consumes as much knowledge that men have to offer.  He pours his life and heart into his work. He is the most passionate of the guys in our mastermind.  Because of this, I’m afraid to fail.  Yes, me afraid to fail because of this guy and because of the relationship we’ve built, he is one of my life’s overseers.

This guy and I have been through so many challenges.  I will say if there is one person I trust with my darkest secrets [you know my mess] this is the guy.  He will shield it, correct whatever’s necessary and put you [me] back on the right path. What this guy does for me more than anything is show me how to have an everlasting love for family, especially for his wife and daughter.  From the very beginning until now and I’m certain beyond, he is the one I look up to as an example of a great husband and father. I still hold a grudge of not being his best man, but he is certainly my best man. X-man? Indeed; eXtra-ordinary man, Brian Holley [B].

Picturing greatness is necessary to be great.
Last but certainly not least, this next guy, I inherited when I married my wife.  So I must consider him a lifelong friend. This guy is a professional and so is his wife, his daughter, and his son.  This guy knows how to be professional and how to make professionals.  Being in his presences, however, will return you back to the days when everything was calm and good.  He has a way of bringing you back to the joys of life. I’ve seen this guy overcome challenges that would break the strongest of men.  He is the picture of what a real man looks like.

What this guy does for me is show me how to master life’s problems.  He has a way of looking the situation in the eye and say come on, is that all you’ve got.  I have more in me. He’s an athlete to his core. He’s shown me that the game doesn’t start on game day, but rather on the practice field.  I’ve learned to make my life tweaks behind the scene so that when it’s game time, I’m ready. X-man? Indeed; eXtra-ordinary man, Wyatt Williams.

Now, I must ask the question, what will you do with this information?  How will you use what I’ve shared to influence and shape your life? Start a mastermind of your own.  Start with intentional meetings with your friends.  Decide that you’ll no longer live like everyone else, but rather leverage all that you are and all that your friends are to change your world.

What will you do with the x-men in your life?
What are you learning from the x-men in your life?
How will you be an x-man in the life of others?

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