The Creative Shift Mastermind

Someone emailed me the other day, saying, “I am sick of the “systems” and funnels everyone is using. I want to do something authentic and unique.”

What she was referencing was how she has a vision for her creative work, but when it comes to marketing, she is overwhelmed by advice. This advice is sold as a “simple system” or an “easy marketing funnel,” and you can learn these via thousands of free webinars, summits, and paid online courses.

It feels hollow. Like the last thing you would want to do with your writing, your art, or other creative work.

She told me that instead, she wanted a way to connect with her audience that feels “refreshing.”

I agree with her. I’m going to bet that you feel the same way. Are you trying to take your creative work to the next level, but are lost amidst a never-ending list of to-do’s? Have you tried everything to connect your work to the right people, and finding that nothing seems to work?

Fixing this this has been an obsession of mine.

What I have found is that you need to make a creative shift in your life. This requires two key elements:

  • Developing habits around your creative work — your writing, art, or other craft.
  • You need a plan to ensure that you don’t just start, but you finish. That your work truly connects in a meaningful way with those who will love it.

This is a practice of living your creative work, not just talking about it. It is about creating every day, mastering your craft, and making an impact in the world.

This is about creating and connecting. Ensuring that your writing and art changes the lives of others.

Join Me

Will you join me to do exactly this? Where we work together to tackle your biggest challenges, and truly push your creative work forward. The goal: finish what you create, and ensure it reaches an audience in a meaningful way.

I’m creating a special mastermind group this October, November, and December, and I invite you to join me. This will consist of 10 smart and enthusiastic writers, artists, and other creative professionals. Together, we are going to make a CREATIVE SHIFT in your life. We will double-down on the creative vision that matters most to you.

Who This is For

This is for the writer, artists, or creative professional who is not going to give up on their vision, but is finding it difficult to create amidst life’s many responsibilities. It is for someone whose vision has gotten a little clouded by all of the things they are told they “have to do,” but leaves them frustrated or overwhelmed. It is for someone who is ready to commit to themselves and their work.

If you are still kicking tires signing up for free webinar after free webinar, looking for the best shortcuts, then this group isn’t for you. I mean, I’m more than happy to recommend some amazing books, podcasts, and social media channels to follow. Seriously: they are wonderful. Read, listen, and follow. Keep putting hearts and likes on posts, while you sit back on the sidelines… waiting.

Because this group isn’t for you.

This is for people who want to CREATE first and foremost. For people who are driven, even if they feel confused. It is for people unafraid to fail if they know they are doing it to seek out the work that they know they NEED to create deep down. That they desperately want to have their work create an impact in the lives of others.

If that isn’t you, that is FINE. I’m not judging. I simply don’t want you to sign up for something and then half-bake it. I want this to be the right fit, because if you sign up, I’m making a commitment to you, and you with me…

This is a 12-week mastermind program, where we work together to achieve the following goals:

  • Creating a plan for your creative work. How to ensure you work on it each day or week. How you can integrate it into your already busy life. How you can work towards meaningful milestones with it. These milestones will be customized to your goals, which may include: finishing, reaching a wider audience, earning revenue with your craft, or so much else.
  • We are going to develop the creative practice in your life. If you struggle to find the time or energy to create, we are going to fix that once and for all.
  • You are going to develop an ecosystem of collaborators who will support you, help you find the right path, and keep you accountable.
  • Oh, and we are going to have fun doing it all!

We accomplish this by working through the following process:

OCTOBER: CLARITY
We will begin by developing total clarity in your creative work, your challenges, and your goals. This is about digging into creating the work that matters most to you, living day to day with inspiration, and identifying the impact you want your work to have on the lives of others. We work through the process I have developed after working for years with writers and artists in the trenches. Planning begins with the right questions, and we focus on getting super clear about your voice, instead of creating a a muffled copy of what others are doing.

NOVEMBER: CREATE EVERY DAY
Everything begins with your craft. With actually creating. Here we don’t just identify how to find the time and energy to create, but we double down on the identity of being someone who creates. Do you feel stuck in roles that don’t reflect who you are inside. That is a thing of the past after this month. This month is all about the transformation that creative work brings to you.

DECEMBER: CHANGE SOMEONE’S WORLD
Yep, this month we are going to change the world. One person’s world. Because if you can do that with your writing or art, you can do it for hundreds, or even thousands of people. You are going to enter 2018 not just with a rock solid plan (we will do that), but you will have PROVEN that you can actually get results with it. I want you to connect your creative vision to the lives of others.

The Result?

Our goals are simple: I want you to wake up on January 1, 2018 and be able to say this:

“I know exactly what I need to do. I have committed to myself and my creative work. I have a plan. I have a team of people I can ask for help when that plan goes off the rails. 2018 is going to be a banner year for me, and I will fight for that. I have made my creative shift, and now I’m going to live up to it.”

THIS IS A COMMITMENT TO ENGAGE WITH ME DIRECTLY
This is NOT a course. You aren’t going to receive a bazillion modules with dozens of pre-recorded videos for you to wade through on your own. And you not going to be shoved into some Facebook group where you will be overwhelmed by all the voices that sound more extroverted than you. You will not be promised “the opportunity” to have your questions answered directly by me in some all-too-rare group Q&A call that offers lots of vague inspiration, but little real help for your personal situation.

Instead: you will engage directly with me every day. I’m going to repeat that because its important: you are going to engage directly with me. Every day, or at least, the days you feel like it. Because I will be there waiting. Meaning if you have a question, I answer it immediately. If you have a follow-up question, I dig into it with you. I get in the trenches with you. I’m ready to have mud on my boots, and do the hard work that all the “gurus” tend to avoid.

THIS IS A COMMITMENT TO BE SUPPORTED BY OTHERS AND SUPPORT THEM
When you join, you are admitting that you want to work with me and others. This is not you sitting back quietly assessing from the sidelines. I can send you links to 100 other courses that will allow you to do that.

Nope, this is about you getting in the game and taking action. This is about us working together. If you aren’t open to collaborating, to working with a group of people who wants to support you, then don’t sign up.

Likewise, you are making a commitment to support others. No, you don’t have to take on a boatload of more work, but you simply have to show up. Show up and care. Care about the others in the group because when they care about you, I can tell you: it will change the course of your creative career.

I have seen super-tight friendships form in similar groups I have run in the past… true friendships. True professional collaborations. I have seen this group become the lightning rod that turned a dream into reality.

How This Works

Are you wondering how on earth you can fit a commitment like this into your already busy life? Don’t worry, I have been obsessively creating a system so that it’s easy. I have run session after session of these small groups over the past two years, and each time, have modified it more and more so that it offers the maximum amount of value, with the least amount of a “footprint” in your day.

This is not a course — it is a collaboration. A mastermind group is traditionally a group of like-minded people who come together to help one another brainstorm, focus, and stay accountable.

You do not get loads of course material — you get prompts and actions to take. You are given a structure by which to collaborate with me and others in the mastermind. Nothing else. This is about action. Period.

On a day to day basis, we will focus on:

  • Breaking down big milestones and goals into smaller steps that you can begin taking right now.
  • Keeping you accountable to the work that matters most to you, but in a way that is filled with caring and support.
  • Providing guidance on how to develop your work and find your audience.
  • Developing the habits that lead to productive creative work, but also a sense of fulfillment.
  • Creating a sense of momentum with your creative vision.

You don’t have to show up anywhere on any particular day or time (I understand you are too busy to add another meeting to your calendar), but you will have constant access to the group (and myself) via these powerful collaboration tools.

  1. Mastermind SlackWe Are Together Every Day.
    You receive access to a private Slack chat group. This is basically a 24/7 instant messaging system for small teams. This is where you can brainstorm ideas, share insights, cry for help, and feel a sense of collaboration in what can be an otherwise lonely process.You will be placed into a group with approximately 9 other people who will become your colleagues in the mastermind. They will be people you can learn from, share ideas with, and forge meaningful relationships as colleagues. It is incredible to see how quickly this happens in the mastermind!
  2. Dan BlankI Am With You Every Day.
    I post (mostly) daily video updates where I take you through key steps to be taking, and expand upon conversations we are having in Slack. These videos are only for the Mastermind group, are recorded (nearly) every day, and give you an inside look into how to truly make progress. I will not talk in theory, but in terms of practical steps, sharing with you how I am doing this myself. I will look you in the eye and directly answer your questions.
  3. mm_coworkingThis is a Virtual Co-Working Space.
    There is a separate channel in Slack that I have created that is meant to be a virtual co-working space. Beyond the tips, the advice, the strategies that we share in Slack, the co-working channel is where we say hello each day and get the benefits of being collaborators.Imagine this as a real-world co-working space. Every day you show up to our huge loft, with big rustic wooden tables filled with iMacs. There is good music playing, amazing coffee, huge windows, and each of us shows up at our desks to work on our projects, while getting to know each other. You are a part of a community that is special — and this is where we say hello and motivate each other every day.

Are you worried about how to use these tools? Don’t. These are things my team and I use every single day, and are a core way that collaborative groups work. They are easy to get the hang of, and after all, we are here to help you out along the way!

That is the real value here: collaboration. You will have me and others in the mastermind providing feedback on your goals, helping provide direction, giving feedback, and pulling you out of the hole when you feel stuck and lost.

Each day I am in the group with you, providing feedback on your tasks, your progress, and your direction. And I will also tell you when you are losing focus or biting off more than you can chew. So much of this process is about clarity and focus. Taking simple actions consistently, not getting bogged down.

My role is to be a coach in this process. You get to watch what I do, I give you direction, observe and suggest corrections. But I’ll be clear: it is YOU on the playing field. I’m not out there to do the work for you, or hold your hand when you are stalling. My feedback will be short and to the point. This is about taking action when it matters.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MASTERMIND

The feedback from folks who have joined me in similar groups has been off the charts amazing. They have found renewed clarity in their creative work, and a solid roadmap for moving forward.

JR-author-introa1“I’m telling you, these Masterminders are a generous and creative and supportive group. And that Dan Blank is generous and helpful beyond the beyond.”
–– Judy Reeves

gHSl7w0a“There are so many layers of emotional and creative spirit in this group. I can feel positive momentum building.”
— Mary McFarland

JackSchaeffer“Dan promised me collaboration when I signed up for this group. I had my doubts, but not anymore. Being a part of the the Mastermind group has brought so much clarity (and simplicity) to my creative work.”
–– Jack Schaeffer

Rupert Davies-Cooke“Dan’s Mastermind group is a safe haven for creators and writers. Dan and my fellow Mastermind participants helped me define the direction for my writing and reach more readers through my website, blog and social media. I recommend this group to anyone looking for support and direction in their creative projects.”
-— Rupert Davies-Cooke

Maya Rushing Walker“WOW. I’m really blown away (seriously, not exaggerating) by the kind, helpful responses in this group. When I signed up, I had wondered if I was doing the right thing by joining this Mastermind –– I was afraid I wasn’t really ready for the step. But now I see that this is exactly what I needed.”
—- Maya Rushing Walker

CatheyNickell“I believe that Dan Blank has created MAGIC here. This group has held me accountable to making a positive change in my creative work — I have never been a part of something this powerful before!”
—- Cathey Nickell

Screen Shot 2016-06-15 at 6.34.01 PM“This Mastermind has given me a sense of direction with the business side of my writing that I’ve never had before.”
—- Dawn Downey

Cari Flory“This Mastermind is building camaraderie with like-minded people for the first time in my life. I have never felt so alive. I can’t even explain it. Even with all my past successes nothing has brought me as much fulfillment as this group and each individual in it.”
— Cari Flory

“If you are a ‘creative’ seeking where you fit in the big picture, need a clarity of purpose, and a path to achieving your goals, then you need to work with Dan Blank in his unique Mastermind group process. You will meet other creatives on similar paths and develop priceless professional and personal relationships—collaborators and friends that you will hang on to for years to come. Plus, you’ll have Dan coaching you over the hurdles of fear and overwhelm that plague us all.”
— Deborah Ann Lucas

 

This is a Commitment to Yourself

There is no refund policy on this program. When you sign up, you are making a commitment not only to me, but to yourself. Take action, or else lose your investment. This is a no excuses program. If you don’t do the work, you will hear it from me. One term you will hear a lot in this program is the following: “No half-baking it.” Why do I use this term? Because most creative ventures fail not because they aren’t engaging ideas, but because the person half-bakes it. They do it part way. They give up at the drop of a hat.

This program is a half-baked free zone. There is no “dropping” the mastermind part of the way through. When you sign up, you are making a 3-month commitment. If you don’t show up, that’s on you. Because I am there every day, waiting for you.

If you have creative work that is deeply meaningful to you, whether it is full-time or part-time, I’m challenging you to stop treating your creative vision as the lowest priority hobby. If you have a day job, I would bet that you would never consider showing up late for work. Or show up only three days per week to a job where you’re expected to be there five days per week. Or you wouldn’t just leave mid-day from the job because you didn’t feel inspired to do it.

Yet, this is how people “show up” for their creative vision.

Want in? There is a $750 total fee for the three-month program, payable in three monthly installments. So you pay $250 in October, $250 in November, and $250 in December. Yes, I am always flexible to creating a specific payment plan that fits your needs.

There are a limited number of spots available, if you are interested, please register as soon as possible.

To join me, register here:

THE MASTERMIND IS NOW FULL. TO BE NOTIFIED OF FUTURE MASTERMINDS, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER.

We begin October 1st, and prior to that you will receive a questionnaire so that I can begin understanding how to best help you reach your goals.

Thanks!
-Dan