Mentoring

Hey Guys,

I have posted before on the importance of parents/mentor before (Parents/Mentor) but I want to steer away from the parents aspect and focus more on the importance of having mentors in the work place, and life. So first is work place, I have a great mentor for the business program. I eventually want to go into coaching, mentoring and consulting but that is down the line. My mentor has started to showed me what steps I need to take and has helped me focus my education and life for that point. Then there is a life mentor which is someone who basically just helps you stay focused, helps you through issues and helps you learn from the mistakes they have made and you have made. I would consider myself blessed and say I have a few people in a 'mentorship' position who on a pretty regular basis will help me stay focused in life.

First, business mentor / work mentor. I will always encouraged anyone who is going into the work force to get a mentor of someone who has done it before. We live in a society that is not longer just going to accept that you have a degree to know what you are doing. We are at a time where there is a larger amount of educated people and fewer and fewer jobs. So what can you do to separate yourself? Something my mentor told me was this, take people to coffee. Find out what you want to do, find the best in the business and take him or her to coffee. Ask advice, come with questions and seek contacts and networking. Maybe I just did not think about it but it seems like a great idea I had not thought of before.  This is the importance of a mentor, someone to help you get on track with your career. How often do you and I feel like we have no idea where we are going, what we are doing, or what we should do for the rest of my life. OR maybe that is just me that gets fixated on that kind of stuff... BUT I really do not think it is, I think anyone at my age (20ish) has a problem with worrying about the future, heck I bet ANYONE in there life usually has a problem with this. SPOILER ALERT HERE IS THE SOLUTION: Get a mentor, get someone to help you think this out and find someone who is knowledgeable. It really is that simple (kinda of) but just having someone to help you think things out and find a direction is an immeasurable amount of value. DO IT. I feel like this is ad-placement but it is for something I truly believe in and I am passionate about.

Second, a life mentor. I know this sounds a little bit more strange but let me take you through a series of questions and if anyone of them you answer yes to you should get a mentor. Struggle with direction in life? Seem to be making the same mistakes over and over? Not sure what you want to do in life? Trying to figure out who you are? Trying to figure out how to overcome your weakness? Those are just a few and there are a ton other I could ask but you get my drift right? I wish that I had mentor through my depression. That is one of the main reason why we, and I need mentors is because when the tough times start coming we need someone who has gone through or knows/seen someone go through it. As much as we pretend to know everything in life and be these strong people we are actually pretty weak and scared. Lets not pretend like this world is not a scary place. I mean heck I am nearing graduation and I am already freaking out. But I hope this is normal and that I am not just making a big deal out of nothing.

That is all I wanted to share today was to get anyone who is reading this regardless of age to try and find a mentor, try to find someone who wants to and is willing to see you improve. I think this is one area we need to be a little selfish. It is great to think about other people and try an help everyone out all the time but sometimes we need to make sure we help ourselves first. So find a mentor for life and for work, gain knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Then one day pass it on!

Goodbye for now,

Christian Sawka