Seek a Mentor, Be a Mentor.

Having the right mentors in our lives can and will have significant impact both personally and professionally. Perhaps one of the most important inputs you can have in your life is a mentor. The right mentor can provide context to the content of life as we grow and develop as individuals.

Yoda was the legendary Jedi Master of Star Wars, small, yet impactful with his words of wisdom and insights given to Luke Skywalker. I love his saying, “Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view”. While I am no Yoda, I have had the benefit of sitting down with others who have poured into me, providing me with new perspectives from their experiences and point of view. These mentors of mine, have truly made a lasting impact in my life, and continue to do so to this day.

A mentor helps you succeed at what matters, to have a lasting impact.

Have you found yourself reflecting over a season of life with the realization that what seemed important is not that important after all? Whether in a season of transition or a well established season of life, having the right mentor is key to continual growth and development.

We all have the crossroads of life we come to, where we can benefit from the insights of others. Too often we try and go at it alone thinking within the vacuum of our our mind. The flaw in that process is we have too many blind spots. It is too easy in life today to get distracted and lose focus of what matters.

The right mentor will help to guide you as they’ve been where you are headed; providing insights and perspectives that can minimize distractions while also maximizing your impact.

Two types of mentors

There are formal mentors and informal mentors, and you can have both at the same time. Let’s take a quick look at formal mentors, we will discuss informal mentors another time.

John Maxwell, bestselling author, coach, and speaker states in his blog there are three things mentors do for you.

1. They know the way – so they have insights and wisdom born from experience.
2. They show the way – by generously applying their insight and wisdom to your specific situation.
3. They go the way – by walking with you through your own journey and helping you learn from your experiences.

Now the biggest difference in a formal mentor and informal mentor is the third step of showing the way. There are many great mentoring resources available in various formats, however the formal mentor is one that will sit down with you and look you in the eyes, converse with you, and at appropriate times may literally walk with you through your learning opportunities.

Headed to new adventures in life?

Remember that first time you went on an overnight camping trip? How was that trip? First time campers most always create challenges for themselves due to their inexperience. Wether it is not having enough or too much gear, the right clothing, equipment, knowledge of the terrain.

If you were fortunate to have experienced campers or trail guide join you, odds are you had a much better first time camping experience. I’m not certain where you are at in the journey called life. But I am certain of one thing, at times we all can benefit from a mentor, or trail guide if you are a first time camper!

In school you were taught a lesson and then given a test, in life you’re given the test to teach you the lesson. We call that the school of hard knocks. Having a mentor accelerates the learning process and lessens the impact of the school of hard knocks.

If you’re ready to take that next step in your personal and professional development, seek a mentor and be a mentor. In a great mentor and mentee relationship, both sides gain value. Be the mentor you wish you had. To use the old adage, iron sharpens iron.

Have thoughts or a personal story about mentoring you’d like to share with others? Leave a comment below, we’re better together!