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What Is A Mentor? – Mentor Definition

by | Jul 17, 2013 | Personal Development | 6 comments

What Is A Mentor? - Mentor Definition

Mentor Definition

What is a mentor? If you are seeking a mentor definition you are likely in a place in life where you’re looking for an experienced person to assist you in pursuing a goal related to your dream job or career. A mentor is a person who encourages and supports you to maximize your potential. A mentor is someone who has already proven themselves to be successful and in a position to empower you to reach your career aspirations. This article will share a mentor definition as it related to my life and what characteristics you should look for when seeking a mentor.

Seek mentors who have done what you desire to do and become what you desire to be.

– Randy Gage

What Is A Mentor?

It was around the age of 13 that I started to fully discover my passions. I had a love of the arts as well as a love for numbers.

By my junior year of high school my passions were realized. I had a paid internship in finance and had immersed myself in the arts, pursuing a music career in my spare time. Even at that young age, it didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t a one-woman army. I needed help in reaching my goals and ideally someone who’d already forged these tracks before. A mentor possibly?

We recommend: Finding Your Passion – How To Find Your Passion

I held a lot of different positions at various companies over the years. In each of those positions I learned something valuable. I call them my WALK AWAY points. In some positions, I learned about myself. In other positions, I learned about life. And some positions allowed me to gain hands-on business knowledge. Those gems you can’t possibly learn in a textbook.

In each company, I had managers or colleagues who were willing to share what they’d already learned. They allowed me to soak up information like a sponge. 

Then there were those EXCEPTIONAL people. They were the definition of a mentor.

People who took an interest in me as a person and went the extra mile to make sure I was thriving in my work environment. Those are the people who I consider my mentors. The people that gave me those little nuggets of wisdom that stuck with me my entire life. 

The people that might have shared something that didn’t make sense to me at that moment, but then later… I got it!

The people who pushed me just a little bit harder even when I didn’t want them to!

The people who made me figure things out on my own! These were the people I considered to be mentors.

So if someone were to ask what is a mentor to me? I would respond – your number one cheerleader!

I encourage anyone looking for a mentor to seek out relationships with people who are in the position you WANT TO be. They’ll help you to excel and also be able to tell you the challenges they faced and how to avoid them. I had mentors who helped me excel in the workplace, graduate college, and provide support as I transitioned careers and started a business of my own. I credit a LOT of people for my current successes.  It was their encouragement and advice that helped me to hone my talents, discover my passions, and become the writer and entrepreneur I am today. What is a mentor to me?

NEXT: How To Find A Mentor – Tips For Finding A Mentor

Do you have a mentor?  Define your relationship and share what is a mentor to you in the comment section below.

What Is A Mentor? - Mentor Definition