MENTORSHIP

I never know the importance of being mentored by someone, until...

I know what I want in life. Allow me to take you back to my early year of childhood. I was raised in a happy family, where I did not have to do anything for myself. Seriously, anything! It was my blessing, but most of the time it was the curse that I had had to endure for many years, not physically, but mentally. Since I was treated so well, I never had to plan nor never had to think about my future, never set any goals, never had to face any challenges by myself. Thus, I was lost. Until...there was a great man who told me: " If somebody takes your challenge away from you, they also took your victory." Wow, how true that statement is. If you want to kill somebody, I know how especially I can show you "killing them softly with his song." No wonder why I never know what I want because most of what I want was given so easily. It was a blessing, but also a curse. 

To know what you want in life is the first step to choose whom to follow. Mentorship is a cool word to say in my opinion. Everybody use it casually, without any reason and understanding. It would be a big mistake to say everyone around you is your mentors. How funny is it? If I heard youngster says I learn from everything and everyone, I would think: "Wow, then you don't know your direction and what you want in life." So, the biggest question here is not whom you should follow, but who have what you want in life/business so you can follow him/her to learn how to get want you.

That was my toughest challenges. Since I don't know what I want, I cannot choose a mentor. Until I met a man who taught me how to think about my life. 

He asked me: " Mr.Dat, let me ask you this: How do see yourself in the next 5 years?" 

I said: "To be honest with you, I don't know and I don' have any goals." 

He surprised: " Then you have to write down what you want. Let choose 5 things that you would want to achieve in the next 5 years." 

I answer: " Sir I really don't know what I want."

"Then let put down 5 things you don't want to happen in your life," he replied. Now I know exactly what I don't want to happen. There were five things I chopped down:

I don't want to be poor

I don't want to be lonely

I don't want to die early

I don't want to divorce my wife like my dad

I don't want my children to disrespect me

Then he said: " It is a good list, let's start from here." He taught me an invaluable lesson that I never forget. What you don't want is the opposite version of your goal. Then he asked me the reason why I don't want to be poor, be lonely, die early and so on. Wanting is not good enough I believe. You must have a reason for it! Wanting means something nice to have, no commitment at all. Commitment is the key factor that makes all your dreams come true. 

I am so lucky to have the gentleman mentoring me. I thank god he didn't judge me. If there is one word I can describe him and his life, I would choose the word 'Freedom'. Let me explain to you why. He is free to do want what he wants, in the way he wants it, wherever and whenever he wants. He is free from anyone's opinion. He always speaks the truth to help people, even though that truth is not easy to listen to. He is free from his guilt because he is the man of honor and integrity. He is free since he is dreamer and doer. Whatever he says, he does it. He is free because he is free financially, since he doesn't have to work for anybody, and he has numerous businesses that generate passive cash-flow for him so he can use his time for the most important thing in his life - his family. 

I am never impressed by his material possession. However, I am impressed by his humanity, by who he is as a man of family and a contributor to the society. Thus, to be mentored by somebody like it, it is a privilege. I believe deeply that mentorship is a privilege. To have somebody shows you the way, guide you and speak to you truthfully, it is a privilege to have that person in life. It is a privilege to be mentored. There is no way I have his time and energy to guide me through. I cannot buy his time because I am not that rich, and he doesn't love the money that much since he treasures his time with his family more. The only for me to have him mentoring me is to show I am worthy for his mentorship. To prove I have what it takes, HASH (Humble, Ambitious, Smart, Hard-working). True mentorship is free, but we all have to earn it. Mentorship is a privilege because of somebody pour their lives into you, it takes their time and their energy away from their family, which you can never replace for your mentor. Mentorship requires submission; otherwise, you don't need to learn from your mentor anyway. In conclusion, find yourself a great mentor who has what you want in life. And always be HASH, and you will be the happiest man on the earth. And then when you got what you dream of, pay it forward. Life is about paying forward. Somebody helped you and now it is your turn to help someone else because being mentored and mentoring someone is the way to the ultimate happiness in life. I wish you all the best and be so successful!

Dat Huynh