Quite recently, I’ve received the news that my biggest and long lifetime mentor is coming to visit me in his passage to Portugal. Besides the great joy that someone that I take in such high regard is coming and had the trouble of warn me making a point to see me again has also given me the excuse to talk about mentors.
In my perspective, mentors are really invaluable.
Everyone should have someone to look up to. Specially when we’re young and restless, our minds and conscience are thriving for a perspective of the world. Our place in this existence. To have someone with experience that we respect to talk to us, guiding into the right direction is key for a great life. At least, this is my perspective in the subject due to my own experience.
Character
Our character I believe its a mixture of several influences. From our parents/family, our own personality, books, education, political and religious environment, group of friends and… mentors.
The Character is something that we build over time. It’s not something that we have been born with. It’s something that we need to create inside our selves from scratch.
So, the best influence is key to have the right character to win in this world.
Trust/Confidence
This is something that we can only build, not been born with. So, to have trust in ourselves, first we need to prove that we can accomplish great things. The only way to do that is by trial and error until we achieve success. Having someone that incentivate you to take the path, congratulates you when you succeed, but above all helps you pick up the pieces when you fail, builds a great armour of trust all around you. It’s going to be much more difficult to defeat someone that really trust in his/her capabilities.
Another major asset in this Trust “thing” is that when someone else tells you and demonstrates by their actions that they trust you to make things happen, you’re filled with power. A power that will give you the necessary energy to really make the objective.
Empower
When you’re an apprentice and listen to the lecture of a teacher, it resonates in your mind and you try to keep all that information in your memory. But when it’s something that you see that person apply in real life, a real action been applied and not just words said in a discussion, it’s so powerful. You really see that the truth is right there in front of you and besides being learned, it’s craved on your flesh. It becomes almost instinctive and a part of you. So the idea is not only to have someone to be an example, but to make available for others to be used as lessons or influences to sculpt our personal experience.
Beware of False Mentors
Yes, they exist. These are usually people with a lot of status, history and professional background that we put in a pedestal. The problem is: when we place someone in such a high ground, the probability is that they fall very easily. So the trick is to understand that people are not perfect or an image of what we made of them as a person. They have their own personality that may not be what we pictured of them. So, this is half the way for not being disappointed.
The other breed of flawed Mentors are those that have the experience, reputation and background that identifies themselves as someone that we should follow but they fail in the most important: Character and Honour.
So be very aware of who you follow but don’t hesitate to grab the ride when its presented to you by life when you find these people. It’s like taking a leap at the “Enterprise” Transporter passing faster into the future.
In a final personal note: My mentor calls me his little brother! How can be better than this?
Does this resonates with you? If so, share your experience with me. Go ahead…
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