Creating Proximity & Accountability

I love to talk about the Five Decisions of Freedom, the Five Framework… whatever you call it, when you use all of them, they will bring Freedom to your life at a level you have never thought was possible!

I am going to cover the Fourth Decision in this blog, but first let’s review some of the ground we have covered previously:

Take Back Your Power
Master Your State
Obsess About Your Growth

And 4. Pursue Proximity and Invite Accountability

I pursue proximity. I have got to get around the right people, but it’s not just about getting around the right people, you have to include that second component. You have got to invite accountability. Within this level of accountability; I am willing to be honest, vulnerable, raw, real, and others to call out my crap and my greatness. That’s what proximity is all about.

I’ll never forget. I heard the line from Tony Robbins, Your life will be a direct reflection of the expectation of your peer group. If you get around a high level of peers, your life is going to level up to their level. If you get around five millionaires, you are going to be number six. And if you get around a bunch of people who are always broke… well, you can imagine you will be number six and broke. If you hang out with people who live on the lower level of expectation, your life is going to level down to their level. We don’t want that.

I have shared previously that in my journey I thought I was doing pretty well, I was investing in myself… and then I joined a mastermind. I got around these growth minded people and I began to absorb the habits, the midsets, the routines, and the activities these guys were doing. I didn’t even know what was happening at the time because there was drastic change happening in my life.

But now I can look back through this lens that I have. I can see it clear as day because I had a lot of good people in my life. I’m sure you got some good people in your life. They love you, they take care of you, they’ll show up for you when you need them. I had a lot of good people, but I did not have a level of peers that were playing at that outstanding level of excellence.

I just didn’t have a peer group that was playing at a higher level; that would hold me accountable to that standard. So when I got that kind of peer group, my whole life changed. And you do the same, it will change for you.

If you’re in isolation, I’m pretty sure everyone reading this lived through the pandemic of 2020, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t forgotten about that yet. Just remember it was really easy to get isolated, to not have community and to not have support. That feeling of “Oh, woe is me… I’m the only one going through this…” Let me tell you something, isolation will lead to your destruction and failure because you can’t get where you want to go… alone.

Look there is greatness on the inside of you, there’s a destiny and a purpose for your life. People are counting on you to show up and bring your best. You can’t get there alone. So, you don’t want to be isolated.

You want to get around the right people. Proximity is Power. It is time for you to take back your power because you will be a direct reflection of the five people you spend the most time with. Show me your friends and I will show you your future. It is a principle of the universe. You cannot argue, it’s going to happen.

Let me tell you what happens when you get in the right peer group; I lead masterminds and that is what changed my story and my life. It changed my life so much that I was like, “Oh my gosh, every person on the planet who is growth minded and wants to make a difference and become the best version of themselves, they need this environment.

And so what I create in my masterminds is a space where you are seen, valued, heard and people are going to know your name. People are going to see you, they will know when you show up and when you don’t. And when you don’t they are going to ask, Hey, you all right? And when you do, they are going to want to know your wins and celebrate with you!

The greatest word in the English language to any human is their own name. They’re going to know you, your struggles and your ups. They’re going to know where you need to be held accountable firmly. And they’re going to know where they need to be softer with you. And they are going to know where to speak life into you.

So these masterminds became a community that is safe. That is vulnerable. That is real. That is raw. Now we’re getting down to business. You are celebrated. So if somebody comes in and says, yeah, I had a great sale this week. We’re going to be like:

How much was it?

$300,000.

Way to go!!

Oh man, I have so many calls every week. Somebody will share a win. Then you’re like, Man, that was huge. Then the next person shares a win and everybody gets celebrated equally. There is no competition. There’s agendas. You are celebrated for you and your greatness. And that does not diminish me or the next person or the greatness that is on the inside.

The world is too full of competition. I’m not against competition, but I want you to compete against you. I want you to compete with yourself to become the best version of you, fulfilling your destiny and your calling. I don’t have to beat somebody else to do that.

Let me suggest a great book that backs that up, Simon Sineck’s, The Infinite Game. It is a powerful book that might shift some perspectives on that while you’re obsessing about your growth. Within these masterminds you’re going to be celebrated and you’re also going to be challenged to give your greatness to the world. That greatness that is on the inside of you, no one else can do something with… except for you! There is a business. There is a family. There is a mission in your life that nobody else can fulfill except YOU.

In a mastermind environment, you are going to be challenged to give that greatness to the world. Some of you are not fulfilling your potential. Maybe you’re halfway there… you’re playing the victim, the blame game and acting powerless… Not because you don’t know there is greatness in you, but because you have had so many negative voices in your life. People that have beat you down and told you; you can’t, you shouldn’t, you’re not smart enough, you’re not good enough, you’re not qualified… If you have heard those voices, it’s hard to get up to the next level.

And so what I’m telling you is that “YOU” are the missing ingredient for you.

Maybe getting around some people who live up here who take full risk responsibility for their lives, they are going to help build you up again. I will be the direct expectations of my peer group and they expect good things and success. They expect deals to close, they expect growth, they expect impact on their community. GET AROUND PEOPLE LIKE THAT… And guess what? You are going to begin to reflect that in your own life.

I could share stories for days. I’ve got people who have been in masterminds with me, weekly calls with five to eight people. Remember, the basis is to be seen, heard, and valued… so it is a lot smaller than some of the calls you might see other people offering because let’s be honest are you going to feel seen, heard, and valued in a group with hundreds of other people? My masterminds are like a small group, it’s an environment of trust and we meet for an hour a week over zoom.

So you see me and I see you. We get energized. We get engagement and we see into people’s souls. Now I know I just crossed a line over there. Listen you don’t know it but you want that. I can’t sell that in the message. And that is what you get in a mastermind. And it is going to push you and challenge you.

I was just talking with a client this past week. Literally, he hijacked our one-on-one coaching call. He’s been with me for years doing a mastermind and one-on-one coaching. He wanted to say thank you because he said, Mark, I don’t know if I’d be where I’m at without you. I don’t know how I could have survived. He’s had some pretty big things that he’s had to navigate in his business, his marriage, and his personal life. He is in a mastermind group that pushes him to a whole new level.

In that specific mastermind, we talked about generosity a few weeks ago. And there was another guy who got to a new generosity level. He said, I’ve got a new generosity goal. I’m going to 10,000 dollars in the next 90 days just to give away. That’s the power of proximity. Another woman who has been with me for three and a half years. And her story was unknown, she got into a mastermind for business… like many. And she said, Mark, this has been a safe place for me to heal. I’ve healed because I have felt safe! I am seen, known, heard, and valued and in a safe place to be honest. Now, she has also grown her business by multiples, as well.

Whatever your need is, can I tell you you’re going to go further, faster around the right people? Because it is true when you get around like minded people, it is going to happen! My challenge to you is to make a decision that you will decide and say, I pursued proximity and I invite accountability that makes me better. That draws out the greatness on the inside of me. I believe if you do that, your life will never be the same.

Check it out if you haven’t yet: MarkTkeene.com. We can schedule a free call. We can get you plugging into a community because proximity is going to be powerful in your life. And it is time you take back your power! See you soon and go out there and give your greatness to the world!