The Power of Mentorship

It seems like there are hundreds of mentors and life coaches out there and I for one, buy into this trend heavily.?

There are times when you get to a crossroad in your life, business or career, and need someone to give you some advice and perspective. You instinctively seek someone who has been through it, has worked through it and can lay down the tools to overcome any obstacles ahead.

I feel like there are certain “requirements” to know when you are ready for a mentorship relationship. It is the type of relationship that pushes you out of your comfort zone – in fact, if it doesn’t, then I would question it! It makes you accountable to someone else, who is basically representing your own interests. So, in a way, it makes you more accountable to yourself and your goals.?

If what you are looking for is someone to always reassure what you are already doing, then you aren’t ready. A mentor should also challenge you, bring a different perspective for your benefit.

Here are some things that you should consider as you think about mentorship, and the power it can bring into your life to unlock your next level, your optimal performance.

You must be hungry

To find a mentor in business, we need to firstly be hungry for success. Mentors only want someone who absolutely wants success. They are not there to convince you to go for it, this would be a waste of everyone’s energy.

Whether you decide to hire a coach, or ask someone in your industry to mentor you, mentors generally guide people as their passion and service for humanity. They don’t have time to waste or energy to pour into someone who isn’t committed to their goals.?

I’ve found that this has an effect of increase – they make you even hungrier, thirstier for success. You are suddenly accountable to someone else and you don’t want to let yourself or them down. But, they can’t create the hunger for you, that job is yours alone.?

It’s incredibly powerful to have a plan to share with your mentor, so that they can start there. They can see where you want to go and continue to guide you.?

At this stage you must show your unwavering determination to the mentorship agreement.? You must show up for yourself and your goals and dreams, rather than think that your mentor will inspire you or even push you to do it. This is your life, your business, your sales team, your clients – your mentor already has theirs. You are still the driver of your life.?

You must be ready for tough love

A mentor can see your challenges from a different perspective. When we are in the midst of obstacles, looking at how we will jump over them, they are placed slightly higher and can guide you to make the right moves.?

They can see your blind spots and give you constructive criticism. It’s really important to find someone who will be brutally honest with you, so that their feedback isn’t watered down by their fear of hurting you. Tell them from the very beginning that you need and appreciate this level of honesty, as harsh as it may be.?

There is no room for pride or fear of failure here. If you want to reach your sales figures, your life goals, if you want guidance and clarity, then you must surrender your ego and listen to the harsh realities. This isn’t meant to crush you; it is only for your own benefit.

I’ve had the experience of some amazing mentors in my life, and often I have received tough love from them, and understood that this was for my benefit only. They have always shared their personal experiences and stories in order to put their point across. And many times, they have been the ones to remind me of my Mental Toughness, my abilities, my gifts and my potential.

Increase the impact by being committed to your self development

Your mentor is a great person to share your commitment to learning, expanding and putting yourself out there. Start a personal education fund and invest in events where you will be completely immersed and can feed off the energy and experience in the room. Oftentimes these events are expensive and may seem like they aren’t necessary. The best piece of advice I got from a business mentor was to save a portion of my monthly income into a separate bank account that can only be used to increase knowledge.?

As you work with your mentor, this part will only increase their impact in your life, as you build your confidence to network and expand your experience and expertise.

You must tap into their experience

Imagine how much you can learn from a Financial Advisor or sales person like you, who has experienced the frustration of low income months or the heart wrenching moments where you feel you have failed your team with poor performance. They were able to climb the mountain, and get to the other side of poor sales, and come up with practical and creative ways to succeed.?

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”. Don’t be afraid to get yourself properly involved in this process, modeling some of your mentor’s strategies.

We don’t have to be constantly trying to reinvent the wheel, we just need to learn how to gather all the advice, knowledge and coaching and understand how it all shapes our thinking. There are hundreds of techniques out there that can be applied to your life for better sleep, better concentration, increasing your self awareness, and so on. A mentor’s superpower lies in the journey to self discovery within your industry, their own hero’s journey. Don’t get caught up in the details, and learn from their ups, downs, mistakes and learnings. Learn from their ability to get back up after a fall.?

Make it your own

Your mentor might advise you to wake up early every morning and go for a run to clear your head and get ready for the day, because that is what works for them. But if you are not a morning person and hate running, you might prefer a visit to the gym during your lunch break. In this case, the how isn’t important, it is the what – the gold standard advice here is to dedicate a certain amount of time every day to the fitness of your body, something I believe in fully. But it has to work for you.?

Consider investing in a coach

Throughout my life and career I’ve had different types of coaches that have changed the way I see myself and my work and that I can say have helped to build me up to who I am today. Some of them were coaches, and some were industry leaders, wise business people and guys who have inspired me with their hero’s journey.?

I think it’s important to consider investing in yourself and hire a professional coach. Why? Because this is what they do best, it’s their purpose in life, and their training and life experience together creates a holistic approach to self-development. A professional coach doesn’t cancel the need or want for other types of mentors, but I also believe in the power of a purpose-fueled coach to elevate you to the next floor.?

Find a mentor

As Buddha so aptly put it, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.?

Be hungry, be ready for someone to push you out of your comfort zone, be willing to invest in your growth, and the right teacher will appear.?