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?
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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.
Hi Stefanie,
It is interesting and refreshing to read your post about mentors and the role they have played in your development as a person. In my opinion, it takes introspection to look at events and experiences that have happened to us and learn some life lessons from them. It also takes courage to a degree to share a little bit of ourselves with others to make their lives better in some way.
I also agree that the passage of time gives perspective. Events, experiences, and people can enter our lives and we might not understand its significance for days, months, or sometimes even years. Although I have been unemplyed for several months, I can also say that I am a much different person because of the experience. I have met some wonderful people who have given me guidance, encouragement, and shared some thoughts, books, and experiences with me that have helped me change my view of people, my surroundings, and my identity.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us.
Jim
Jim thank you sooo much for your comment. In starting this blog, I had to make a decision about what I wanted to share because blogging has a unique way of making you speak in an authentic voice. So yes it does to take courage, but if I can help even one person, I'm willing to share.
I should also add Jim, that I have been where you are – unemployed – and I could write an entire blog on that but I will say this… it is a period of growth, you'll learn who you are as a person, what's truly important to you and it sounds like that's where you are now.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom as well.
Good points Miriam, glad to see you back around these parts!Sent from my iPhone
I am constantly humbled by the generosity writers show new baby writers. They know how incrediby difficult it is.
hi stef, im a entertainmen agent songwriting publishment and a family oriented organization founder to save all men in a ll walks of life. im a human right advocture. i really like you to give me suggestions on how to publish brouchures in health services clinic and organizations. this year i had to contact a few nationwide health centers and public health admistrations to send my mentoring one leaf book namely, called hes your father not your friend, on the showmen ships on positive role models on fatherhood. how can i go by searching the proper mentoring board to send my book to health clinics(family/men's)? thanks for your participation.
I don't have any knowledge on publishing brochures. I would google it.Sent from my iPad