As you know, we’ve been remodeling our house. We’re on the home stretch and the icing on top of the Fixer Upper is this giant 24 foot beam that caps the ridgepole in our vaulted ceiling.
It showed up on Thursday night.
On a big truck.
It’s big. Really big.
We knew we couldn’t put it up alone. We asked a few friends to help, but they were all busy, so we said, Lord, we need some help.
My brother texted me out of the blue and asked if he could help with our remodel. (Thanks, God!)
Yes!!!!!
He and his wife showed up on Sunday afternoon and we went about putting up the beam.
Except. After all our measurements IT WAS TOO BIG on one side and didn’t quite fit right.
We wrestled to get it up, and managed to get it close. But as you know, close only counts in dancing, so….
So we began to brainstorm. We all threw out creative ideas on how to make it fit including cutting the beam, the sheet-rock, installing it sideways (not my favorite) and even simply ordering a new one.
My sister’s idea was the best. “Let’s pray! God knows our situation and he’ll give us the best idea.”
Oh, right. PRAYER. (duh!)
So, we did. And as soon as we finished, suddenly we came up with an amalgamation of an idea—something from all of us.
It worked!!!!
The process reminded me of my mastermind group—the way we get together to solve problems, each one of us throwing out ideas, and then handing it over to God to sort out and give us the right path. (or rather, the better order is—praying for the ideas, and then throwing them out!)
Whether I’m writing a book or putting up a beam, many minds with the same goal, make for better solutions. That’s why I’m a huge fan of mastermind groups. I have one for business, and another for writing/brainstorming.
One of our strategies is to read a great book or listen to a class or podcast and discuss it afterwards as a group. To learn together. To help each other apply great ideas to our projects.
Last week, I shared with you this great find—this Writing for Profit stack (still on sale here, until tomorrow!). Our writing mastermind group came up with this great idea to each buy the stack (for $49! Seriously, what a deal!) and then go through each offering one at a time and discuss the content.
Learning together. Solving problems together.
So, here’s my idea…What if—well, what if you approached a couple friends, and, armed with this stack (or another resource) you formed a Summer Mastermind Group and dove into learning. Something casual but still writing related, something that fit into all your other activities?
We may even discuss some of the material during our weekly Peptalk at Novel.Academy.
Just some thoughts as I sweep up.
Have a great writing week! Your story matters—go, write something brilliant!
Susie May
