Mentorship is, by definition, the intentional and engaged guidance given by a wiser individual to ensure your success. In whatever setting you may find yourself in, be it professional, academic, or personal, mentors are a great asset. In professional settings, it is especially important to have one for continuous self-development. If you have never been convinced of how essential a mentor is, the following reasons are sure to tip the scales and have you actively seeking one.
- Mentors have vast information and knowledge
Mentors are generally more experienced and wise individuals, which makes them a great source of information. They can guide you in the way that you can spot your room for improvements yourself. They have the experience that you can learn & ensure that you don’t make the same beginner mistakes that they made once. In a nutshell, they crawled so you could walk.
- Mentors are cheerleaders and disciplinarians
Mentors encourage and help to boost your confidence and self-belief as well to stimulate your growth. As much as they encourage you to grow, they will set boundaries for you and help you adopt a more disciplined approach to life. Mentors are basically cheerleaders who will let you know when to cheer time is over.
- Mentors are sounding boards and trusted advisers
Mentors are a safe space to bounce ideas off of, in order to get an unfiltered opinion and advice regarding decision making. Because they want you to succeed, they will often be frank with their advice and will deal with your challenges in confidence. You are, after all, a reflection of their mentoring skills, and remember; they have invested in your success.
- Mentors are well connected
Since they are usually more experienced, mentors are well connected and can help grow your network. Having access to a mentor who has been active in your field for a few years, that gives you access to some of their contacts that you wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
- Mentors are free
The best thing about mentors, apart from them genuinely rooting for you, is that they are free. This is a resource that you don’t have to pay for in cash as they get their payment depending on how successful you become.
Anyone can be your mentor; it just depends on what you need mentoring for. For those who prefer a different route, there are prestigious mentorship programs available worldwide. Look them up and start applying.
