I was always told that it is important to have a mentor in your life. But, why? What is the purpose of having a mentor?
I made mention in a previous article that we must learn the principle called -BE, DO, HAVE- in order to truly be successful in life. I said that one of the major downfalls of most individuals today is they DO NOT HAVE A TRIED AND PROVEN MAP.
We have all used MapQuest at some point in our lives whether on a family vacation, trip to Mexico, football game, soccer game, business meeting, speaking engagement, or even grandma's house. We typed in our home starting address and the destination ending address and clicked enter. There you have it, a detailed step-by-step plan/road map of how to get to your destination. It includes a map, estimated time of arrival, how many miles it takes to get there, fuel consumption cost, names of the roads, exit numbers, and distance to travel on each leg.
A mentor is quite similar in many ways. They have already been to the destination you are trying to reach. They know what pit stops to go to to refuel. They know what potholes and roadblocks to look out for while traveling. They know the best route to take to get you to your destination.
Many times the road they recommend is the road less traveled by the masses. At first it may cost you but in the end save you time, resources, and headaches.
One way to tell if you have a true mentor is to ask this question, "Do they have something I want or have they been where I desire to go?" If they do not meet those requirements then you have an adviser, not a mentor. I have a question for you. Would you classify some with a lot of book knowledge, MBA's, or PhD's as an expert or someone who has worked and gained experience in the field/industry for years? Students today spend years in school and eventually obtain their bachelors or graduate degree. Once they enter their particular work field, however, their education is weighted useless. Why? No experience. No road travel. No destination reached. Their journey didn't begin in kindergarten. It began the first day they started a job.
We all have destinations in life we desire to be. Find a great mentor who has been where you desire to be. Not having a mentor is challenging but having the wrong mentor is detrimental. Your selection process is the one of the most important decisions you will make. The wrong map could lead you to a destination you never intend to be. Choose wisely and carefully.
Happy Interviewing!
I made mention in a previous article that we must learn the principle called -BE, DO, HAVE- in order to truly be successful in life. I said that one of the major downfalls of most individuals today is they DO NOT HAVE A TRIED AND PROVEN MAP.
We have all used MapQuest at some point in our lives whether on a family vacation, trip to Mexico, football game, soccer game, business meeting, speaking engagement, or even grandma's house. We typed in our home starting address and the destination ending address and clicked enter. There you have it, a detailed step-by-step plan/road map of how to get to your destination. It includes a map, estimated time of arrival, how many miles it takes to get there, fuel consumption cost, names of the roads, exit numbers, and distance to travel on each leg.
A mentor is quite similar in many ways. They have already been to the destination you are trying to reach. They know what pit stops to go to to refuel. They know what potholes and roadblocks to look out for while traveling. They know the best route to take to get you to your destination.
Many times the road they recommend is the road less traveled by the masses. At first it may cost you but in the end save you time, resources, and headaches.
One way to tell if you have a true mentor is to ask this question, "Do they have something I want or have they been where I desire to go?" If they do not meet those requirements then you have an adviser, not a mentor. I have a question for you. Would you classify some with a lot of book knowledge, MBA's, or PhD's as an expert or someone who has worked and gained experience in the field/industry for years? Students today spend years in school and eventually obtain their bachelors or graduate degree. Once they enter their particular work field, however, their education is weighted useless. Why? No experience. No road travel. No destination reached. Their journey didn't begin in kindergarten. It began the first day they started a job.
We all have destinations in life we desire to be. Find a great mentor who has been where you desire to be. Not having a mentor is challenging but having the wrong mentor is detrimental. Your selection process is the one of the most important decisions you will make. The wrong map could lead you to a destination you never intend to be. Choose wisely and carefully.
Happy Interviewing!
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