Mentors MATTER | How to select YOUR "Perfect 10"

Contrary to the pop culture narrative, Batman was NOT Robin’s mentor. BRUCE LEE was Robin’s mentor. Of course he was - that explained everything to me like the coffee mug drop at the end of “Usual Suspects”. 

Look I watched closely the Brady Bunch AND Batman growing up. A bit of a thespian myself, I inherently knew Peter Brady was not believable. Later I got to know Chris Knight - Peter Brady - in the software industry. Great guy, tough gig being type cast for life. Bad actor in my opinion. But Robin was different. He WAS Robin. The show dominated 1965, 1966, and 1967 and the bruising production proved prolific: 120 episodes. Watched by 50% of all U.S. Households for Wednesday night’s cliffhanger setting up Thursday nights - unheard of today. 350,000 people showed in Tacoma for Robin’s - sans Batman - first public appearance. 

Burt Ward -Robin- beat out 1,100 aspiring actors for the role. He snapped a two inch thick sheet of wood in half like it was wax in his audition. (Or like the super hero he really is - hello!) When he got the life changing news the ridiculous role was his, they simultaneously gave him the first and last acting advice he ever received from the show. “Burt - if we could make a real life Robin - like for real - it would be you. Do NOT act. Stay Bert. Be YOURSELF. You really ARE Robin from where we sit.”

Wow. I knew the guy was different - I too idolized him and Nana Swan made me my Gold Cape that kept me flying from age 5 to the tick of age 8. So Bert already showed up ROBIN. Like Michael Jordan sauntering into his first High School tryout, they just didn’t know it was him yet. 

In an INSANE “coincidence”, Bert Ward lived in the SAME apartment building for years next to Bruce Lee. THE Lee. Bruce worked out “religiously 8 hours a day and at the time of his death was the most physically fit man I have ever knew” Bert said. They started hanging out “all the time”. Lee taught him Karate. Just stop there. But he also taught him acting. Do you sorta get where this is going now?

All his ENTHUSIASM on the show, the fist punches, the athleticism - all of it was his and came ready-made day one. Bruce Lee had bludgeoned it into him. Exhibit A: Knowing this, if you still think Bert Ward would have become Robin without Bruce Lee, perhaps mentors are not a thing for you. For anyone else, here’s how to get YOUR winner: 

Same way you marry a “10”. Duh.

Before I explain, I confess I too had a mentor. Lee Leichtag. What a 900 pound guerrilla of wisdom Lee was to me. He flipped his Pharma company for $76M and was golfing buddies with President Gerry Ford. Ray Kroc's widow was his next door neighbor in Rancho Sante Fe, right down the street from Tony Robbins' estate. He gave me “the goods” in the 90s, the arm over my shoulder low toned secrets - and I lead America in my field at the time (Christian Software Publishing) - a direct result of his advice AND ENCOURAGEMENT. And Lee was Jewish so it was not about the content. It was about him making me better, tougher, smarter. So I did experience it, happily, and if you want to up your game as well going forward, I suggest you marry that perfect “10” - and land your best mentor soon! How soon? How about honoring a deadline of when we’re free to move about the country again. Fair?

HERE’S HOW:

My second boss, a mentor to me early, Ken Hannah, told me he went to his High School reunion and was stunned to see the short, dufussey, bald, forgettable classmate of his standing next to his jaw dropping wife - a “Perfect 10”. The other guys were understandably curious as to how this was possible. “Must be rich” they explained to themselves. They sent Ken over to the punch bowl to find out how “Dufus” did it. “Ken, I am not a rich man but you were kind to me in High School so I will tell the answer to your question, which no doubt is ‘How am I with her?’ Correct Ken?” - “Yes, and half of this room is on the edge of their seat to know just how you got her, especially when they find out it isn’t about money.” He replied.

“Ok Ken - I’m honored you asked. You ready? Here it is: Ken I too was aware I was not commanding any attention from the ladies - and you witnessed this to be cruelly true in High School. But Ken, that experience forced my hand a bit - I made a decision, before I even graduated high school, to marry a Perfect 10 - nothing less, no exceptions. The key here is, I counted the cost to attain my goal. With me, the cost was accepting all of the inevitable rejection I was NO doubt about to face on the way to my bride. But Ken I never asked out ANYONE who wasn’t a 10, and when the one said “yes”, some of the other tens came around - too late for them. And that’s how you marry a 10, Ken.”

Naturally you must translate this for yourself into YOUR list of Business Leader “Perfect 10s” in your field who may reject to give you, oh I don’t know, a LOT of free time and valuable, life changing information. Information you frankly don’t have enough lifetimes to experience - so you must leverage your mentor’s experience. But guess what? MOST will NOT reject you - so the cost of asking is LOW. It’s an ego boost extraordinaire for them fueled by their own kids who don’t recognize their dad’s genius like you do. SO THEY SPILL THE GOOD BEANS for your STALK, Jack. They’re thinking “Dang, at least I can leave some kind of legacy through my new promising protege here.” 

And so, you make your list of the TOP 10 in your field, MEGA names to you anyway - all of them - no exceptions. ALL are perfect 10s in accomplishment, experience, and relevant career tweaks that can double your impact on this world. If you don’t know who they are off the top of your head, I’ll give you one free life line - a google search if that helps you. 

OK Einstein, almost there. Now, how to break the ice without stalking them. Look they have assistants, mutual connections, but most reliably their own egos. Reach out in utter sincerely - like maximizing your own SUCCESS depends on it - and they’ll respond. 

So if your own Bruce Lee didn’t just drop in from the ceiling above you like lucky Bert Ward in real life, simply add temporarily painful Step Two - Marry a 10, and get on with it. There are many Bruce Lee’s out there for you, but there is only one Robin - YOU. To be SO GOOD they choose you over 1100 others because YOU OWN IT, to be SO GOOD they tell you “DO NOT CHANGE ONE THING”, you may need a mentor. Don’t let that be any slight to your own ego. It’s quite often the case your mentor can make you better if you invest your time to seek and listen. Queens do it: “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” - Jesus Christ, Matthew 12:42. BTW, no doubt Jesus would be a terrific mentor today as well, but even He had Joseph to learn his carpentry trade.

You’re already good. But maybe you’re just not THE BEST - yet. My question for you is, will you reach your fullest potential -providing you reasonable satisfaction in this life- alone OR with your ROCK STAR MENTOR?!

Now then, does that get you goin kid? Then I’m telling you THAT KID is goin places. Important places. That kid is YOU! “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.” -King Solomon | Pr. 22:29

By Gregory Swan | [email protected]