Wikipedia defines a mentor as "a trusted friend, counselor or teacher, usually a more experienced person who advise them and serve as examples as they advance."
Throughout my life, I have been blessed with many mentors. I had mentors in school, dance, 4-H, home, sports --- each area of my being had a mentor. That person, normally a she, was formed into my mentor organically, and I remain very close with all of them today. Although not in as direct a way as in the past, these mentors still have a great impact on me, in addition to having helped shape me into the person I am today.
When you begin a new adventure, it is only natural to look for a person to whom you relate to guide, advise and teach you through their expertise. You look to learn from them, and they look to learn from you. If the relationship is strong enough, you and your mentor go on to become good friends and build a lifelong relationship, even after your time working directly with them has ended.
I recently realized that I have had so many mentors in my life because I need them. Growing up without a sister, more importantly an older sister, has led me to look to strong, confident, successful women I meet as a goal to work towards at each stage of my life in whatever I am involved in. That physical example of whom I want to be in the future is necessary for my growth and development in the current stage of life.
I thought that need for guidance would fade when I became a legit adult (aka full-time career Superwoman). But, in reality, my dependency on a mentor in my most independent stage of life is more obvious than ever. Is that normal!?
Whether normal or not for just-graduated college students like myself, it is happening right here, right now. Luckily, I have recently acquired two amazing mentors to add to life's list, and I will put money down now that this pair will be the most influential on my life as a whole.
These two women are the most passionate, dedicated, involved and successful young professionals I have ever met. They have accomplished so much and earned incredible respect in their given fields, and they have both barely hit 30 years. In less than a decade (since they graduated college), they have both been promoted at least three times, their colleagues rave about them (in a good way), their cells and e-mails are constantly blowing up because so many people count on them for answers (which they always know!) and they both seem to know everyone...and I mean everyone...influential in Indy and beyond. Furthermore, they are grounded, kind, caring, thoughtful, sassy and always fun to be around. You'd think some of their fabulosity would go to their heads, but not one bit has!
Ok...take a moment to process all of that...read it through again if needed...
It's honestly incredible, isn't it?! The best part: I know they both earned all of the above credits on their own accord. They know what they want, and they get it. Nothing stops them from achieving what they put their minds to because they approach everything in life with confidence, smarts and passion. Respect is earned, not given. Goals are accomplished, not forgotten. Success is achieved, not stumbled upon.
To have one woman like this as a mentor would be amazing, but I have two. (One of them I get to work with every day, and the other I work with on an at-least weekly basis.)
More shockingly, they want to mentor me! They told me directly that they want to take what I already do well, enhance it, while teaching me a lot along the way, and mold me into the best career woman I can be.
What did I do to deserve this!? I have unending respect for these two, and their awesome points in my book increase every time I am around them. Honestly, if I can be half of the rockstars they are in 10 years, I will be thanking my lucky stars!
I can only hope these women will stay connected with me after any of us move on from this stage of our lives, as my other mentors have. These two are even more important to keep in my life because, as I stated earlier, I'm confident they will have the most major impact on me of all my mentors --- past and future.
If you have a mentor(s), how great of an impact do they have on you? Do you maintain relationships with past mentors? Do you think you will continue to do so with future ones? Please comment.
The journey into adulthood is scary; I'm not going to sugarcoat it. But when I was told that this particular pair of women want to support me and pass on what they know to help me kick some career butt, that scary journey quickly turned into an exciting adventure! I hope everyone has at least one person in their life they can label a mentor because I can't imagine who or where I'd be without mine...
Follow me @alyandthecity
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I do have mentors. Always have, do now, and I hope/assume always will. They've had both major and minor impacts on my life...some that I realized at the time and many that I came to realize years later.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that I've learned about the concept of the mentor over the years is that it's important for me to remember that they are flawed humans just like myself. And that most frequently, the reason that I admire them so much is that they are their own hardcore individual selves...not just any other person. When I was younger I would try to be as much like my mentors as possible...but THROUGH my mentors, as I've aged, I've learned to strive to be as much like myself as I can be....
I don't know if any of that made sense written out but it did in my head!
Peace,
Lauren