Believe it or not, there is science that can predict whether or not a person is capable of making an impact on the world. Using that science, I can predict whether you, in particular, will make an impact.
Here is my prediction:
Yes, you will absolutely have a positive impact on the world. You are absolutely powerful enough to have a good life while making the world a better place.
You might wonder, how do I know anything about you?
The answer is: I don’t.
I am making that prediction based on nothing but my general optimism about human nature and my desire to make you feel like, yes, you can matter exactly as much as you want to.
Feel tricked?
Don’t.
There is good, strong science behind my prediction.
You see, it turns out that, according to the science, one of the biggest predictors of whether we have potential is whether we have people around us who believe that we have potential.
For example, according to Adam Grant’s great book Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, elementary school students whose teachers were told the students were of above average intelligence (even if they weren’t) actually did better on intelligence tests than their peers.
Similarly, Grant writes, experimental evidence shows that workers whose bosses believe in their potential outperform those whose bosses don’t have such confidence.
Other people’s predictions of our success and our ability to have a meaningful and important impact on the world are actually self-fulfilling prophecies.
That means, when I predicted earlier in this email that “You are absolutely powerful enough to have a good life while making the world a better place,” that I was actually making it, in some small way, more likely to be true.
More importantly, this science tells us that if you surround yourself with people who believe in your ability to change the world for the better–to have an impact, to matter–you actually improve your chances of doing so.
What does that mean? It is very simple: Part of what we all need to do for ourselves–if we want to help make a better world–is surround ourselves with people who really believe in our power to do so.
My suggestion? Get to it.
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PS Do you wish somebody else would put together a group like that for you?
I am putting together a group of people for the express purpose of believing in each other’s ability to make a difference. This group is a group of friends who will refuse to let you fail. It is what I call the How To Be Alive Mastermind Group (you can apply here or read on for more information).
Being part of a group with the common purpose of supporting each other to build meaningful, prosperous, service-oriented lives is a powerful way to move forward forcefully and concretely. How To Be Alive Mastermind Groups include eight to twelve people confidentially and compassionately joining together in exploration and execution.
- Groups meet once a week for 90 minutes for 20 weeks by video call (we are able to see each other).
- The first two meetings are mandatory; full commitment to remaining weeks is encouraged.
- Meetings include smaller breakout groups for active sharing and discussion.
- All members become part of a Facebook group or other group-sharing platform to continue working and sharing between meetings.
- You will sometimes partner with other group members to collaborate between meetings.
- You will have fun and be inspired and see real changes in your life.
- You will feel supported and included in a group of people who share our values.
- The groups are facilitated by me and include email support from me.
- Pricing is discussed at the bottom of the application form (basically it’s sliding scale $1500 to $2000 depending on honest ability to pay, which can be paid in monthly installments).
In order to put together the most productive groups, I have put together an application form that I can use to get to know you (it takes about 15 minutes). Please fill out the form ASAP (groups are enrolling now and filling up) and we will arrange a phone call in the next few days to discuss details and answer each other’s questions. Filling out the form does not commit you (or me) but secures your place in line.
And by the way, you should find filling out the form fun and interesting and I hope it will offer you some insight into yourself.