Mentors in Life
Imagine traveling back in time, knowing all you know now, and starting over. How many things would you do differently? As the great mathematician Sir Isaac Newton once said, ‘If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.’ All of us alive today have inherited the knowledge and wisdom of the people who have come before us.
There is nothing in life that somebody hasn’t already experienced or written a book about in the past. The power of community, working together, and shared knowledge drives us to progress and become better with each generation.
What is the purpose of a mentorship? If you ask any leader, CEO, or someone at the top of their chosen profession, they will have had several mentors who have guided them through their lives to become the best version of themselves. Mentors are there to guide, inspire, and act as role models throughout your life, whether physically, mentally, or spiritually.
The power of mentorship is portrayed in the fact that mentors facilitate the personal or professional development of their mentees. By creating goals and giving feedback, a mentor can help others in focusing their efforts. Whether it’s through one on one mentorship, peer mentoring, or group mentoring, firms that want to improve their employees’ abilities frequently establish mentorship programs.
Learning From Experience
The most significant difference between a teacher and a mentor is life experience. Many age-old tales, quotes, and fables about learning from experiences and not repeating history. Think of the sayings of the ‘wise old owl’ Albert Einstein’s ‘The only source of knowledge is experience’ and, of course, hindsight.
We can learn the most from those who have walked the path before us and guide us to make the best decisions in our life based on their experiences. The role of a mentor can be highly diverse and can cover many areas in your life, including financial, physical, health, employment, mental, spiritual, and emotional topics.
Next time you are going through something new or challenging, reach out and find someone who has similar experiences in the past and learn from their wisdom and knowledge.
Making the Right Choice
It is a fact, as humans, we all want to think of ourselves as independent. The truth is we are all emotionally involved in our own lives, and emotion can prevent us from thinking rationally with a clear mind. Advising other people is easy when looking from the outside in, with a clear picture of the situation and clarity.
Still, it never feels the same when we have to make decisions for ourselves that will directly impact us and our own lives. Seeking counsel and guidance from people you can trust or who have been in a similar situation previously can help take the emotion out of the decision and put the choices into a clearer perspective.
How many times have you found yourself wishing and thinking how much easier it would be if someone could choose for you? The uncertainty you face can take up time and valuable space in your mind. In reality, a trusted guide can look from the outside and help rationalize, clarify, and take the emotion out of the decision-making.
Becoming a Mentor
One of the greatest feelings we can get is to help someone succeed, achieve a goal or pass on our wisdom or experience to someone in need and watch them grow or develop. The feeling of changing or impacting someone’s life can be one of the most meaningful connections, investments, and relationships that we commit to.
If you feel you made mistakes in the past and are passionate about not letting others make the same mistakes, reach out and become a mentor. It can be as simple as helping someone avoid one mistake you made.
Footsteps of Greatness
A mentor doesn’t always have to be someone that you know. You can be mentored by someone you have never met before—some individuals mentor themselves by reading books from authors that lived hundreds of years ago! We live in a world of connectivity and are only a few clicks away from speaking with others across the globe. Online forums are great places to find and give advice to others.
Types of Mentors
By now, you have realized the power mentors can have in your life and are ready to act and be like some of the most successful people in the world, taking ownership of your growth.
Below are four mentor types we should all have in our lives. Surround yourself with positivity and people who lift you up:
1) A Coach – Someone who understands what it requires to succeed and what you are going through / where you want to go.
2) A Connector – Someone who connects and networks you with other people.
3) A Cheerleader – Someone who is willing to support you, build you up, and motivate you to keep going through hard and good times.
4) A Challenger – Someone who challenges you to grow, move forward, and be the best version of yourself.
Types of Mentoring
Here are some key types of mentoring:
- One on One Mentoring
It’s the classic mentoring approach, in which a mentor and mentee agree to form a mentoring relationship in order to help the mentee grow, progress, and succeed.
The mentor in this sort of mentoring has more experience in an area that the mentee is interested in and can act as an advisor and guide.
- Peer Mentoring
Unlike one on one mentoring, peer mentoring refers to two people who form a mentoring connection, but they are from the same employment level or age group.
They can take turns being the mentor and mentee, or they can schedule sessions more freely. The goal is to share knowledge and experiences, learn from one another, and hold one another accountable.
- Group Mentoring
This mentoring technique entails a single mentor working with a group of mentees. The sessions are conducted by the mentor, with each mentee contributing their own set of skills and knowledge. Group mentoring allows you to reach and influence more mentees in less time.
Bottom Line
Mentorship should be approached with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Whether you’re a mentor or mentee, seek guidance to bring out the best in you.
