Who would you consider a mentor in your life, and why?
We all are better because of the mentors in our lives. Once again, my Mastermind group had some great discussions from Leader Shift by John Maxwell. Mentors came up in one of our chapter discussions and we all shared the valuable people in our lives that mentored us at some point. It occurred to me that we had an enormous amount of trust in these individuals. The mentors are the people who share in our excitement, as we explored our ideas. They truly wanted the best for us. I have some great people in my life that have mentored me over the years and I know they are always available when I need to seek answers to questions I’m struggling with. I wanted to share a few points about the mentors we seek.
Great mentors are always the ones who encourage you to take risks. They offer coaching and advise you when you need it most. In most cases when you wish to try something new they’re the ones giving us the green light. One mentor I have, was always willing to let me try something for the first time. They found value in the exploration of my ideas. It is my opinion that this is the most powerful thing a mentor gives us; permission to take a chance on an idea that we are pondering. Without this permission, we risk not exploring the best ideas that could offer the greatest return. Imagine if we lived in a world where no one encouraged your thoughts, risks, or future plans. We may never take a chance on ourselves or others’ ideas. Make sure there are people in your life that encourage you to take chances and explore options.
Trusted mentors will question your thinking and if your mindset isn’t where it needs to be, they will challenge you. When we take risks, sometimes we fail to think things through. We may even lose interest in our goals or have a poor attitude when things don’t go as planned. If we have built a trusted relationship with our mentors, they will call us out. Accountability towards your goals and plans is vital for your achievement. Great mentors won’t care if they offend you when your mind isn’t right. They want you to be your best, and are trusted enough to let you know you’re not towing the line. Find a mentor who will be brutally honest with you always.
Great mentors have values and beliefs that align with yours. When our mentor has the same drive for a purpose as we do, success is within our grasp. Generally, our mentors are in the same business or field as we are. They have achieved more in similar situations and therefore are the best teachers. They have had experiences which allowed them to grow that you may be experiencing right this moment. Their experiences are so important to your growth and development. When you have a mentor that believes as you do, your ideas work in tandem. The free flow of ideas, values, and beliefs compound, causing the best ideas or plans to be uncovered. Find a mentor who has common beliefs and values that you do.
When we find our mentor, we should notice their desire to see us succeed. We must be that person for others as well. We all have experiences on our road of achievement that others have yet to experience. We can help someone work through issues on their path of achievement as well. Never forget, helping others grow will in turn help us grow. The experience of working with a mentor will give us a positive feeling that we must share with people around us and in our organization. You too, can mentor!
Who has always been in your corner, encouraging you?
Who challenges your thinking or your commitment towards goals?
Does your mentor’s purpose match yours?
How could you be a mentor for someone else?
Look around you, find the individuals who can share their wealth of knowledge with you. So much can be learned from a mentor. Many people won’t get the experience of having a mentor in their life, but there is always time to seek one out. Mentors can help us fast forward our growth and achievement. I hope you have an opportunity to find a mentor in your field of interest. Thanks for looking in on this week’s post. I hope you have a great conversation with a mentor this week.
Steven C. Bucks- Leading Conversations
