Mentoring

I wasn't aware that January is "National Mentoring Month" until a friend brought that fact to my attention.  Over the past month I've attempted to mentor several young men in my global family.  I don't have to, but it's something I feel I should do.  I did not have the benefit of someone mentoring me as a teenager or when I was entering my early 20's.  During those days I never heard of the concept of a mentor.  For me it was trial by error.  I also learned much by reading and asking questions.  After graduating from college I entered a new middle class lifestyle unequipped with the lessons and knowledge others around me had gained.

Now I have the opportunity to help people in my global family who want advice and want to gain knowledge that will help them reach their full potential.  That is what I offer.  Experience and knowledge on what to do and what to avoid.  Some within the family have accepted my advice. Others have not.  My message is basically it's all about choices, gaining knowledge, and taking advantage of opportunities.  To succeed you must prepare yourself for success. At the end of each day you have to look yourself in the mirror and asked yourself, "Today what have I done to improve my life?"

In my adult life I discovered that sometimes just knowing about opportunities is a challenge.  From my career in human resources, I discovered that some information is kept from people on purpose. If you only want certain people to apply for jobs, you make that information available only to those people.  It's a legal but unethical method of information sharing.  There are legal discrimination techniques and illegal discrimination techniques.

A mentor exists to distribute knowledge to those who need and want knowledge.  That knowledge can cover a variety of topics;  financial advice, relationship advice, advice on pursuing a career, etc.  Most of us do not realize it, but our parents are our first mentors.  Our parents teach us a variety of skills designed to help us achieve and be productive in this world.  But what does someone do if they do not have a mother or father active in their lives as a positive influence?  It is at that point that a mentor becomes very important.

To those I encountered who taught me lessons in life, I say thank you.  They were mostly teachers and a few co workers who cared about my development.  For me it's now about trying to further distribute what I was taught.  To mentor others onto the road to success.  I can only try.  Some will not get it.  They have been captured by the world and their minds transformed into only seeing one part of life.  Others will understand what they must do and begin their personal path to achievement.  That is one value to mentoring.  It helps those who otherwise would be lost, find their way in life.