Mastermind

It is impossible to achieve a goal in work or business, without the involvement of others. This much is clear. But this chapter goes further to suggest, that although you have within you great powers of thought, the way to supercharge your success, is to connect up with others. Without even being aware of the concept of the mastermind, I have experienced the great benefits of having a few people sitting around a table "brainstorming". I think it is true, what he says, that there is a synergy that occurs when you combine peoples' thoughts together.

The book gives a mystical edge to this process, but I think it can logically be reduced to the benefits of lateral thinking, and seeing things from a different point of view. The new perspective in this case, being made available to you by someone elses take on the situation.

But Napoleon Hill's specifications for a mastermind group are fairly stringent. "Always maintain harmony within the group". This is a tough one. Obviously it is desirable, but is it always possible? I think it is hard enough to find people sympathetic to the concept, without finding people who can exist in harmony during this process. And while it may be possible to assemble a group of people to discuss a business opportunity or work opportunity, it may be more difficult to utilise this process for personal goals, although the benefits would be clear.

Specialized Knowledge

This chapter talks about the two types of knowledge, general and specialized, and obviously (given the title of the chapter) emphasises that specialized is better than general knowledge. A comforting thought to all of us who aren't very good at trivial pursuits.

Specialized knowledge involves playing to your strengths. It involves identifying an area of knowledge or skill, which you can use to your advantage. And the key word is "use":

"Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end."

But the reassuring point about knowledge that this chapter makes is that you don't necessarily need to spend the rest of your life in a library or the inside of a university lecture hall to get knowledge. In fact, you don't need to have the knowledge in your own mind. You just need to have access to the knowledge. Henry Ford had an office with a row of "electric push-buttons" to summon to his aid any man who had the knowledge he was seeking. Today we call this a cell phone, but the message is the same. As long as you know where and how to find the knowledge it is as good as cramming it into your mind.