Mentors have been there, done that. Their experience can take years off your learning curve. They can teach. Point out the pitfalls. Attach you to their own network. They encourage and support you when things are tough.

A mentor will not only point you in the right direction; they can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel or open up vistas of possibility you never imagined.

They say that when the student is ready, the mentor will appear. I say, go get a mentor. In fact, get more than one. Seek one out.

Look for a mentor who has something in common with you. When you do find a mentor, you have to do your part. A mentor will help, guide, encourage. You must do two things:

1. Do the work. A mentor’s reward is seeing you succeed. Don’t make yours feel that his or her time and energy have been wasted on you.
2. Shut up and listen. Take notes. Accept your mentor’s criticism and suggestions and try to use them, even if you don’t always agree (and you won’t always agree). A mentor is not God, but just someone who’s already gotten where you want to go.

As long as you keep your ears, eyes – and mind – open, as long as you’re willing and able to learn from mistakes – yours and others’ – you’re using the mentorship concept to your adventage. There really is no downside.

ACTION TIME

List three people who have what you want to have, who are doing what you want to do. Write a brief description of each. Then ask yourself, when faced with a tough challenge, what would …. do?  Make them an imaginary advisory board. Or put the great thinkers on your wall and ask them? ‘If you faced this same challenge, what would you have done’?