The Challenge of Mentors

Posted: December 9th, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Personal Development, Professional Development | No Comments »
I have heard some say that even the best have a coach but I do not know how many believe that to be true in my generation. It seems that with my people (my generation) we have been brought up to where everyone is a winner, everyone can win and you can do things your own way.
This is a bit tragic when you really think about it.
The path of success is very clear and very easy to see [I wrote about it previously both on Twitter and in my blogs]. Very many have already gone down the path of success and have done it multiple times. However, I see that many people no longer have a desire to be led down the path.
I believe and have found in my experience, that one key (if not the only key) to success is submission to authority. However, we no longer live in a world where it is cool to be an understudy, a mentee, or student. It is glorified to be the mentor, leader and wise man but not to be the one in the position of learning.
Multiply that with the market being flooded with motivation and inspiration teachers that provide sugar rushes. These instant emotional highs have no lasting power which results in your being dropped or depressed lower than when you got started. So all you are left with is knowledge without application which equals frustration because you know it should work but it isn’t working for you. Why didn’t it work?
Because you were never truly in a position of mentorship.
To be mentored is to be in submission to another human being who you believe has your best interest at heart.
To be mentored is to allow someone to correct you without back talk, shrinking away or hidden resentment.
To be mentored is to put someone else’s needs before your own and do what [to you] has no real value
To be mentored is a lifestyle and not an act.
Here lies the challenge that is in our culture.
We need to be challenged. I believe that every person needs to be challenged and be challenged by a mentor. You should have someone in your life that you are accountable to. I am 26, by American standards an adult, but I should still have people over me in every area of my life that I am submitting myself to. If not, how can I tell if I am growing, developing or maturing. Sure, I can measure myself against others, but I still see from the inside out, not the outside in.
I have to run, I apologize for the shortness of this note but I hope you get my point…

I have heard some say that even the best have a coach but I do not know how many believe that to be true in my generation. It seems that with my people (my generation) we have been brought up to where everyone is a winner, everyone can win and you can do things your own way.

This is a bit tragic when you really think about it.

The path of success is very clear and very easy to see [I wrote about it previously both on Twitter and in my blogs]. Very many have already gone down the path of success and have done it multiple times. However, I see that many people no longer have a desire to be led down the path.

I believe and have found in my experience, that one key (if not the only key) to success is submission to authority. However, we no longer live in a world where it is cool to be an understudy, a mentee, or student. It is glorified to be the mentor, leader and wise man but not to be the one in the position of learning.

Multiply that with the market being flooded with motivation and inspiration teachers that provide sugar rushes. These instant emotional highs have no lasting power which results in your being dropped or depressed lower than when you got started. So all you are left with is knowledge without application which equals frustration because you know it should work but it isn’t working for you. Why didn’t it work?

Because you were never truly in a position of mentorship.

  • To be mentored is to be in submission to another human being who you believe has your best interest at heart.
  • To be mentored is to allow someone to correct you without back talk, shrinking away or hidden resentment.
  • To be mentored is to put someone else’s needs before your own and do what [to you] has no real value
  • To be mentored is a lifestyle and not an act.

Here lies the challenge that is in our culture.

We need to be challenged. I believe that every person needs to be challenged and be challenged by a mentor. You should have someone in your life that you are accountable to. I am 26, by American standards an adult, but I should still have people over me in every area of my life that I am submitting myself to. If not, how can I tell if I am growing, developing or maturing. Sure, I can measure myself against others, but I still see from the inside out, not the outside in.

I have to run, I apologize for the shortness of this note but I hope you get my point…

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