What’s a Mentor and Where Do I Find One?
Have you ever met someone who seemed to embody everything you ever wanted to be or do in your life? And you wished some of what they had could rub off on you? Have you ever asked someone for help or guidance when you felt you’d lost your way?
Many people today believe that having a mentor is the ultimate secret to achieving success in all areas of their lives. A mentor is a teacher, advisor, or guide who can lead you down a proven path to success. He/she has been there and knows what it takes to move from where you are to where you want to be. No need to re-invent the wheel!
Most of us get stuck in our own stuff and can’t see our way out. We may know what our goals are, we may take action, but when we don’t get results, we are frustrated and don’t always know what to do differently. Was it our thought process, our attitude, the words we said? Was it the right action at the wrong time or vice versa? It’s pretty tough, sometimes, to be an observer in your own life and to know how to reach your goals when everything you’ve done hasn’t worked!
That’s where mentors can help. They cut the learning curve and the time it takes to reach your goals. They have achieved their own success and are ready to give back. They enjoy helping others reach the same level of success they’re achieved.
Mentoring has been around for thousands of years, but has only re-emerged in popularity in recent years, especially with the advent of personal and professional coaching. A coach may serve as a mentor, but mentors don’t have to be coaches. They could be an expert in their field who either wants to offer their guidance to protégés on an individual basis, or who sets up a structured program and serves a group of students simultaneously.
If you’ve reached a point where you think you’re ready to have someone else guide your path to success, and you’re willing to put in the work it will take to get to where you want to go, you may be ready for a mentor. In that case, how do you find the ideal mentor for you? Here are some possible ways you can find one:
1. GET CLEAR. Decide exactly what you want help with, whether specific goals, or the planning, or the process, or shifting your mindset.
2. START ASKING. Let people around you know that you are looking for a mentor, and ask for referrals. Then get some references.
3. GET TESTIMONIALS. Talk to people who have mentors and find out how they work and what results they have had. Ask any questions you have about mentorship.
4. BUSINESS NETWORKING. Check with people you meet at professional organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and the SBA. Some may even have a mentor program.
5. RESEARCH ONLINE. There are many experts who have formal mentoring programs and you can search for them online in your specific area. For example, there are mentor programs in wholesale real estate, Internet marketing, and writing a book.
6. MEET A MENTOR. Ask for a complimentary meeting with the mentor or if not local, arrange for a phone consultation. If you can, talk to a few of their students.
If you are committed to your success and ready to roll up your sleeves, you will find your mentor. Remember the saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
Thanks to Working at Home on the Internet for including this post in the Working at Home Blog Carnival.
All of the big names in success stress over and over again about the importance of mentors. If you really want to succeed it seems the way to go.
Jennifer,
I’m no big name, nor am I an intellectual or a prophet. I simply know it works. I have two mentors in my life.
Do you have any?
David
I have one mentor. I constantly learn from the classics in personal growth through audio and books.
I have also been through a short mentoring program and am looking into expanding that. If that does not pan out I may be looking further.
That first paragraph should have read, “I have one mentor AND I constantly learn from the classics in personal growth through audio and books.
Hi David,
Found your blog via Alex, great info here, will subscribe.
Asking is so important, also getting clear about what you want and need.
I have just met a new mentor and communicated by skype. I had heard her on another mentor’s radio show and listened to her show before approaching her. Now I have a complimentary 30 minutes sesion set up and got homework. Great I thought.
Metrix Global did a study to determine the business benefits and return on investment for an Executive Mentoring Program. Their bottom line findings were that:
“Mentoring produced a 529% return on investment and significant intangible benefits to the business.”
However, I feel a business mentor is not for everyone. You have to:
1. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone
If you just want to keep doing the same things you have always done, what is the point to mentoring? There is none. You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and do something new.
2. Be open and honest
Do not hide your personal success or failure from whoever you are working with. A mentor is there for you, so use them. If you are not willing to do something or it becomes difficult for you, let them know. Do not hide it and do not hide from your mentor!
I personally have two mentors. A personal one and we concentrate on me, my development and where I am going, and a business one.
I have two because I feel to be a mentor you have to be an expert in a chosen field. One who is great on the personal front and helps me grow is not the same as a business one who knows how to grow, market my business.
Andrew
Suzie,
Thanks for finding me and for taking the time to respond.
Good for you! I hope your new mentor works out.
David
Andrew,
You’re absolutely right. in the coaching profession, not everyone is “coachable.” One must be honest, open, and willing to a shift - in thinking, attitude, and behavior.
David
[...] B. Bohl presents What?s a Mentor and Where Do I Find One? posted at Slow Down Fast Today!, saying, “Have you ever met someone who seemed to embody [...]
Found your blog to be interesting– glad I found it! Having a mentor has helped me jump start my career and I am always open to meeting and learning from people who know more than I do. As we get older, ego may get in the way for people who may feel embarrassed to ask for help or mentoring. I would highly recommend they swallow their pride and reach out.