The role of mentors in inspiring personal growth
A mentor is someone who shares knowledge, experience and wisdom with another. The person who knows the most about a subject or skill is the mentor in that area. A mentor inspires you to grow by pushing you to reach your full potential and become all that you can be.
In this post we will explore the benefits of having mentors, as well as some thoughts on how to find them, identify them, apply what they teach us and develop a successful relationship with them.
"The person who knows the most about a subject or skill is the mentor in that area."
We can have mentors in many different areas of life, for example someone who has been where we want to be, or people who have gone through something similar to what we are going through. We can look at our own parents and discover whom our mentors were, or look at famous people and discover what they did that moved them from one level of success to the next.
"A mentor inspires you to grow by pushing you to reach your full potential and become all that you can be."
They are people we admire and respect, because they have succeeded in something we will never be able to achieve.
"A mentor pushes you to reach your full potential and become all that you can be."
How do we know if they are the right person? Perhaps someone inspires us to do something that we would not have done without them. For me, living with a mentor was life changing because of the amount of information I learned from him.
How can you apply what they teach you? They might impart knowledge in a specific area of life, such as meeting a personal goal or achieving financial freedom. As we experience more success they may provide us with more opportunities, such as investing more money into a stock or putting in practice what the mentor has taught. We can always use their advice when we are going through challenging times.
"How can you apply what they teach you?"
Here are the benefits of having a mentors.
1) Guidance
2) Inspiration
3) Successful mentorship relationships form a triangle where the mentor, protégé and family merge together into one unit.
3 Ways To Find A Mentor:
1) Shine brightly and be noticed. Believe in yourself and do your best to achieve all your goals! Other people will notice this kind of determination and will naturally want to help you out. You should also get involved in activities that involve other people, as this is the easiest way to find a mentor (they may even approach you!).
2) Search for a mentor in a specific area that you want to learn about. For example, if you want to be more successful in business, find someone who has achieved financial freedom through business ventures. If you are looking for a mentor for raising children, find someone who has already raised children from birth. Go to places where people who have had success in the area you want to learn about hang out (like seminars), join clubs or organizations that they are involved in and ask people whether they know of anyone who can teach you (make sure they know what it is that you want to learn).
3) Always listen for the voice of your heart. You will feel comforted when you are around those who inspire you to grow.
"1) Shine brightly and be noticed."
A mentor can teach us a skill, help us find a job, aid us in developing positive relationships and give us valuable advice on how to steer our life in the right direction. They can show us how to live a more balanced lifestyle. Mentors form an essential part in learning new skills because they have already done what it is that you want to do, and they will know of ways that you can achieve your goals faster.
"2) Search for a mentor in a specific area that you want to learn about."
So who are the mentors we should look out for? I would have to say that the ones who have achieved what you want to achieve are by far the best mentors.
"Mentors come in all forms, from friends, family members, teachers, coaches and mentors in business."
Here is a list of some people who I have found useful. When you look at these people you will see that they are from different walks of life and different ages. This means that they will be able to teach us things from their own experience of going through what we are going through.
1) Friends
Friends are people we've known for a long time, they will know how to help us in ways that people who we don't know very well could never help. For example, you have a friend for many years and when you moved to another city they decided to move with you. This kind of friendship is exceptional because they have invested in your life by spending money on the move and choosing to be there for you. You now have an opportunity to repay them as they will be willing to share their experience with you.
"When you look at these people you will see that they are from different walks of life and different ages."
Look at George Lucas, one of my mentors for making Star Wars. He has had to live in a constant state of excitement because he is always looking for new advancements in the industry. It is through this excitement that he is able to inspire me and push me to pursue my dreams further. The world will never see a better example than George Lucas as a mentor.
2) Business Mentors
When I was starting out I was very lucky to find someone who was willing to be a mentor for me and teach me how to run my own business. They were able to teach me the principles of business that I needed and give me a step by step plan to follow. This led to my success because now when I was facing tough situations I knew what to do.
When you are in business, being mentored can help you develop specific skills that will help you succeed in your field. It is through their experience and knowledge that they can teach you the best way to go about things and make yourself more attractive for investors or clients.
3) Family Members
This is a great way of getting advice, especially from people who have had similar experiences as us, who have been through the same situation like us.
Conclusion
"When you look at these people you will see that they are from different walks of life and different ages."
What most people don't realise is that mentors could possibly come from anywhere and have many other forms of mentors. When you search for a mentor it doesn't necessarily have to be someone in your family. As long as you find someone who has accomplished what you want to, then the relationship will benefit from their knowledge and experience.
"Friends are people we've known for a long time, they will know how to help us in ways that people who we don't know very well could never help.