Mentorship

How's it going people? In the last post, I dealt with discovering your gifts/talents and taking inventory of it. It is pertinent to note that the fact that you've identified your gift doesn't necessarily mean that you'll make money or prosper from it. Needed to make that clear. Discovering your gifts is just step one of this process. The next is what I'll term MENTORSHIP.

Just as it was stated in Steve Harris' podcast "Life is a week", the next season after that of discovery is practice. You've undoubtedly heard the phrase "practice makes perfect". Like all cliches, there's an element of truth to it. The best way to perfect a skill is to practice over and over again until it becomes a second nature. Malcom gladwell's 10,000 hour rule supports such.

Remember our goal is to live according to our design. We've discovered our talents, we are now at the season of practice. At this stage, you need a mentor, someone to guide you through this season of practice. There are so many misconceptions about mentorship out there. I would try as much as possible to break it down. Here goes:

WHAT IS MENTORSHIP?
Mentorship is a process that involves communication and is relationship based. It involves informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A MENTOR?
A mentor is a more experienced (typically older) professional in your field who offers you career guidance, advice and assistance from a real world point of view. Pretty simple, right? A mentor is the present picture of your future.

WHY DO YOU NEED A MENTOR?
Its like having a great trusted ally to go to whenever you're feeling unsure or in need of support. They can help you set and achieve career goals, make smart business decisions, overcome workplace challenges, learn new skills. The benefits are just endless. There are always others who have "been there, done that" from whom you can always learn.

WHAT A MENTOR IS NOT
A mentor is not perfect. As strange as it sounds, don't expect perfection from him/her, rather expect sincerity.
A mentor is not an ATM. When you begin to hustle or beg for money from them, you defeat the purpose.
A mentor can't be dead. He/she has to be someone currently living your future.
A mentor can't be far from you. He has to be someone that's always accessible.
A mentor can't effectively mentor above 200 proteges.


WHO SHOULD BE MY MENTOR?
This is a huge question and I'll suggest you take some time to think over it carefully. The choice of the person makes a big difference in YOUR success. Look for someone you respect professionally and someone who has a career you'd like to emulate. That doesn't mean that you want to follow in their footsteps exactly.
Of course, you also need to find someone who's willing to be a mentor, is eager to share knowledge, will have time to dedicate to you and is trustworthy because a lot of personal stuff would be exchanged.
Also, I recommend that you look for someone you like on a personal level and not just a professional one. You should look forward to spending time with your mentor. They conversations should be pleasant, engaging and inspiring.

Note: Often times, its the mentor that looks for his/her mentees. For instance, Jesus' 12 disciples didn't look for Jesus rather, He went out in search for them. As a protege, you don't really have to carry a placard on your head with the words "MENTOR NEEDED" boldly written. Just project yourself positively. This would attract your mentor.


WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM?
You're probably reading this and wondering, "I get why I should want a mentor. But what's in it for them?" Good question. The answer varies though. Some mentors simply believe in the person they are helping and want to see him/her succeed and that alone is worth the time and energy.
Some see themselves in the mentee and are intrigued or drawn by such a resemblance and try to help this person avoid the mistakes they made in life. For instance, the movie series, "The Originals". Its a spinoff of "Vampire Diaries". In the movie, Klaus, the hybrid, found "Marcel" a lil chap at the time and decided to take him under his wings and mentor him just cos he saw certain characteristics of himself in the kid.

Others look at mentorship as a way of leaving a legacy. You get to pass your knowledge on to the next generation. For some mentors, they just like the challenge. Its fun when someone looks up to you. It kinda feeds the ego. So there are all kinds of reasons mentors do what they do. Its a win-win situation.


In summary, a mentor delivers you from long queues. A mentor is someone that sees you stuck in a queue and takes you to the front of the queue. Your mentor should be someone who while he is reigning ,drags you along in that glory of his. Your mentor is someone who prays for you everytime he wakes up in the a.m. Your mentor is someone who you can call 2 a.m in the morning to tell that the principle he/she taught you didn't work.

Your mentor is someone that remembers to check up on you when you told him the day before that you had a quarrel with your wife. If you have a vision dat requires you to take 5 steps, your mentor is someone that is 10 steps ahead and not someone that is 100 steps ahead. When you eventually reach the 10 steps, you can then look for another mentor that is 15 steps ahead.

I really hope you've been inspired to start a mentorship relationship today. If I've failed to address your doubts or questions, kindly post them in the comments section below. You could also send a mail to daviesreward13@gmail.com

Everyone who reigns in public trains in private. You have to be in form before you're given the platform.

Cheers!
@daviesreward