…the one…as in a Mentor…what did you think I meant? Love? – We can discuss that in another article, in this article we are going to cover how to find a Mentor.
There will be more than One
Something to realise is that you will have more than one mentor in your life, you will have different mentors for different areas of your life, you won’t always have a direct relationship with them and you can have a few simultaneously at any given time.
What is a Mentor and was the difference between mentoring and coaching?
There is some ambiguity and one person can interchange between the two depending on what they are doing. A simple way to define them is that a mentoring gives actual instruction on what you need and how to do it; and coaching gives guidance to enable someone to figure out what they need to do for themselves. So you can see how one person may interchange between the two, commercially those who are coaches do so as a profession i.e a sports coach whereas those who classify themselves as mentors tend to do it as an additional role to what they do as a profession e.g. an entrepreneur can be a mentor to others wanting to pursue business
Do you know what you want?
You need to know what you want and need before you go in search for one. What are you needing instruction in? What qualities are you looking for?
What you want and what you need may not be the same thing
You need to embrace this. Be sure that you are making the right choices based on what is going to take you forward. While you want to be comfortable with the mentor that is most compatible, you want to be uncomfortable when it comes to what you are doing with them. Often a mentor will be disrupting the norm for you so be prepared for this and embrace it.
But what if I don’t know what I want or need?
Then it is ‘clarity’ that you are needing assistance with, this is where a coach instead of a mentor could be more useful.
I know what I want but who do I choose?
It is important that you understand some things about yourself first before you go in search of a mentor. Some things to consider are what your personality type is and your learning style. You need to know this so that you find the mentor that is compatible with you.
‘When the student is ready, the teacher will appear’
When it comes to manifestation it is important to manage your mindset and put out the right intention and energy. It comes down to intention, what intention have you set in your search for your mentor?
Where do I find them and Precautions I need to take?
Mentors are everywhere, you need to be creative and proactive.
Ensure that whatever your chosen source, that you have a search criteria and filter your results. Be specific otherwise you will become confused and misled which will result in you ending up with a poorly matched mentor. Do your research and ensure they are credible.
Linkedin – An amazing professional network where you can find specialised people and many are willing to be mentors
Youtube & Social Media (Instagram, Facebook etc) – Great resource but be selective and ensure they are ‘real’
Networking Events – These can connect you with some positively influential people and mentors however be careful that you do not get swayed by the wrong kind.
Education/Seminar Events – Often you will have speakers who are coaches and/or mentors and they will be selling their services – remember be selective.
Professional Workplace – If you are working in an organisation or company you may be able to find appropriate mentors there.
Not everyone is going to say ‘Yes’
Be prepared that some people may say no, so have more than one option. In some cases perseverance will be rewarded however know when this is the case and be respectful.
Some Mentors will be someone you never speak to directly, often someone can be a virtual mentor in the sense that you learn and are guided by their instruction through the public content they produce. If you are able to interpret and apply effectively then this is also a great way to gain mentorship in what you need.
In Part 2 I will be covering how to make contact and get the mentor you want. Read Part 2 HERE
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