I heard the word men-tees when I went to work in rural Ghana where for the first time I got to know that students from the training colleges were posted in schools to be mentored.
That is not to say I had not heard the word but it’s real meaning came to me vividly. Because they are to be trained to be like their mentors, their level of productivity will depend on the kind of mentor-ship they receive.
So it is too if you were to study successful people one thing you will realize they have in common is they all have mentors. They do this because surrounding themselves with the right people allowed them to avoid many mistakes and helped them to progress faster and wide in aggregation . So if mentor-ship is very vital to our success and failure, why aren’t we thought right from school how to find them?
The adage is very true ‘Show me your friends and I will show you your character’. So to be able to achieve your goals, it is your tenacity to persevere but also the the kind of people you learn from. But the Big question is,
Who are you learning from?
Take a moment to answer these questions.
1. Who are your closest friends?
2. How many of them share your goals or beliefs?
3. Are they living the life you want to be living?
4. What does it say about you and your chances of accomplishing journey goals?
I remember this quote from Jim Rohn ‘You are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with’. So whether you have a mentor or you have never even thought about it, you are still been mentored by the people you hang around with. So if you are like most people who do not have the right people in your circle you dream is likely going to remain just what they are, just a dream.
But you can turn the tables in your favor. How can you go out there and form relationships with the right people who are already living your dream?
Start with a small conversation.
We meet potential mentors everyday just that they do not go about introducing themselves that way. Ask about their lives and see where it leads. Their stories will let you know a lot about them. Remember that you will never get a straight forward answer. When you open you mind wide you will get to know if this is the right mentor for you.
Be straight with what you want
Asking a potential mentor “Will you be my mentor?” is an absolute way for the mentor to flee. Instead go like “I want to learn from you and what you do. I think you will be a great resource. Suggest meeting every quarter, or having coffee once a month. Be specific. The answer may be no, and that’s OK. Keep searching, and know that you’re a good judge of character. Great mentors don’t say yes to things they can’t commit to.
How ever it is, be mindful that your success depends on how ready you are to learn from the leaders in your field. Do not be afraid to ask for direction on your journey. You can only make it when you are ready to learn from those who have walked that path you are about to travel on. It gives you confidence to know you have a mentor to guide you. It gives you courage, it makes you feel you have a rock to lean on when the need arise. They made it and you can make it too.
Before I leave let me give you some sites to help you in your quest to finding a support when it comes to mentoring.
SCORE.org: A nonprofit association of more than 13,000 volunteer counselors who individually mentor aspiring entrepreneurs and small-business owners. It also offers training, advice, workshops and resources dedicated to entrepreneur education.
MicroMentor.org: An initiative of nonprofit humanitarian agency Mercy Corps that offers free online guidance to entrepreneurs, particularly those with low incomes and limited access to business resources, and connects them with a business mentor.
EMSociety.org: Los Angeles-based nonprofit Entrepreneur Mentor Society selects 40 to 45 aspiring entrepreneur applicants each semester from the greater L.A. area to educate, develop and promote them through one-on-one mentorship, networking events, internship opportunities and sessions with successful business owners.
SBA.gov: Ever the small-business resource, the Small Business Administration’s Mentor-Protégé program serves firms eligible for its 8(a) Business Development program, an initiative to help socially and economically disadvantaged Americans gain access to economic opportunity.
Feel free to visit the sites for help.
Thanks for reading this blog and don’t hesitate to share this blog with your friends and loved ones. Who knows what sharing this could bring to the hearts of others.
samuelmensah 