Yes! If superstars like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Mother Theresa, Oprah, and Michael Jordan have been mentored; you need a mentor. If you are looking to achieve next-level success, the right mentor will help you do so. Don’t be all pompous, suck it up and get a mentor – It can be the best business decision you’ll ever make.
In our attempt to achieve higher levels of success, many of us end up hitting a ceiling. We know the potential is in us, but we just can’t seem to get to the top of the mountain. So we train harder, work later, make more sales calls, push and fight, but we fail. We end up frustrated and tired with no real results to show.
The solution is a mentor.
The first 50% gain is much easier to achieve than the last 5%, and without a mentor; near impossible for most of us.
What is a mentor?
A mentor is a guide. Typically someone with more knowledge or experience in an area than you have. This person is someone that you can rely on to provide you with transparent and objective criticism in pursuit of your goals. A good mentor will correct your path, help clarify your vision, uncover hidden potential, and push you towards the success you seek.
What makes a good mentor?
To begin with, a good mentor should be experienced in an area that you wish to improve in. Beyond that, I feel that this person should be reliable, dependable, and available for you once you start the mentoring process. Someone who is interested, engaged, and excited about being a mentor. S/he should hold you accountable and be honest in their analysis and suggestions.
If not, you are both wasting your time.
A good mentor doesn’t have to be way above your experience level to be of value to you. In fact, it might be best to “climb the ladder” of mentors as you cycle through them on your journey to the top. And as stated in the opening paragraph, even the best of the best have mentors.
Michael Jordan’s Mentor Howard White, helped Micheal achieve extreme success beyond the basketball courts. It’s important to remember that everyone can benefit from what a good mentor can offer.
How do you find a mentor?
Ah, the elusive mentor! In the great search for mentors, you’ll certainly want to put it out to the universe. Let people know you are looking for a mentor.
Talk to people, network, find out who has a mentor, reach out!
Also, there are a variety of online and in-person mentorship programs that you can google search. But in my opinion, rather than google searching “the worlds greatest mentors”- get a little more granular.
Start by writing a list of people that currently have what you wish to have – people that achieved the success you want to achieve.
Next, find ways to connect with them.
How do I approach a mentor?
This can be tricky. Some people will offer mentorship programs that you can simply sign up for, which you can find on their website or through a google search. But not everyone will officially offer these services.
That doesn’t mean that they will not mentor you.
When you approach someone who does not offer an official mentoring program you will have to be tactical. If you have a prior relationship with them, great, you may be able to simply ask them. If not, I recommend building somewhat of a relationship with them first.
When reaching out, remember to respect people’s time. Don’t expect people to commit to a dinner with you. Keep it simple, easy for them, and noncommittal.
But don’t skip this process. The purpose is for you to get to know them as well, you wouldn’t want to commit to a mentor/mentee relationship without getting to know them first. What if you guys don’t hit it off?
At some point, when you realize who you would like your mentor to be, you should ask them to mentor you. Don’t be afraid to do so. If they say no – move on, keep in touch, and ask for a referral.
Once someone has agreed to mentor you it will be time to discuss the terms. Although some people will mentor you for free, I feel it is best to pay for their service. This will help keep them accountable to you.
Cost will vary, so I recommend researching some mentorship programs in your field for a starting point. But ultimately, the price will subject to whatever is mutually beneficial for the two of you.
The mentor process
This depends on many factors. Your needs, the field you are in, availability, your goals, etc. But typically, you will be meeting with your mentor on a regular basis, either in person, on the phone, or virtually.
You should be very upfront with your mentor about what you would like to achieve through this partnership. For example, if you want to learn how to buy an apartment building, say that, and then discuss all the necessary components that go into that process.
This will help both of you develop a clear path and curriculum to follow as you begin the mentorship process.
Some mentorship programs will dictate a specific time frame, but as far as I am concerned, a good mentoring process should continue until it’s no longer beneficial. Once progress slows down substantially and you can no longer benefit from the mentor, it is ok to part ways. Seek out your next mentor and continue your progression!
Tip – Don’t be afraid to switch mentors at any point, but be sure you have given the mentor a good shot before moving on.
Conclusion –
No matter what stage of your career you are in, everyone can benefit from a mentor/mentee experience. So start creating a wish list today of people that you’d love to be mentored by. Go through that list and rank them based on your first and last choice. Start from the bottom rung, begin contacting them, and building relationships. You will land one before you know it!
Keep climbing the ladder until you are at the top of your list, then make a new list. And when you feel ready, you can begin mentoring others.
And I am sure you will be amazed by the results.
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
