Do you remember being a little kid? Did you look up to your local firemen, police force, doctor, parent, maybe the mailman or a teacher? It’s easy to have someone to look up to when we’re young; someone you consider your hero or mentor.
Then you get a little older, now you’re in your twenties. Do you have a professor, boss, alumni, or coworker you look up to? Maybe you go to them for advice or brainstorm together. Regardless, you have someone to look up to and help guide you through life.
As we become full on adults, we sometimes forget the importance a mentor can have on our lives.
Whether it comes to your career…
“Mentors can do a number of things for your career. They can help you build your resume, guide you on a project, and help you identify resources, including referring you to other mentors and important people in your field.” Ken Williams is the author of, “Mentoring the Next Generation” and stresses that it doesn’t matter what stage of your life you’re in, having a professional mentor is vital to your success. In business it’s not always about what you know, but who you know, and having a mentor on your team can really broaden your networking and knowledge horizons. You can read more on his career mentorship advice here!
Or maybe you need one for your personal life…
Attaining goals, keeping you accountable, and pushing you to be the best self you can be is exactly what a great mentor does. Everyone needs a little encouragement in their lives, whether they want to try a new hobby, start a family, transition into a different and healthier lifestyle, a good mentor is invaluable when taking these difficult steps in life.
But having a mentor is just as important as BEING a mentor…
We all want to lead fulfilling lives, and according to Maynard Webb, a contributing author of Forbes Magazine, being a mentor can help put that piece of our lives into the puzzle. As we gain more experience in any area of our lives we begin to crave sharing that with others. “We all have more to give, giving it to someone you can help get better is the most effective thing you can do. Empowering others is a way to make the biggest difference.” Being a mentor also makes you focus more on achieving your own goals in order to continue to set a positive example. If you would like to read Webb’s full article you can do so here.
So get out there and grab yourself a mentor! And while you’re at it, see if someone you know could use a helping hand too.
A simple step to becoming a mentor is to share your own story. It could be just the inspiration that someone needs to get or keep going!
Share Your Story!