Do I need a mentor?

Do I need a mentor? If you have never asked yourself that question, than you could be missing out on a GREAT opportunity to improve both personally and professionally! A mentor by definition is someone who serves as a wise and trusted advisor. A mentor is someone who challenges you and is capable of providing wise council for you in particular areas of life. Some of the most successful people in history have relied on the guidance of mentors. All presidents seek the advice of trusted advisors in their cabinet. Generals gather together several experts in their respective fields when drawing up battle plans. Multi-millionaires often rely on the input of consultants, mentors and experts. Everyone needs a mentor. In many cases more than one! Here are some guidelines to use when selecting a mentor:

1. Your mentor should never be your boss or an employee above or below at any level in your organizations structure.
2. Your mentor should never be a friend or close family member. You want someone who can provide a neutral perspective. Friends and family will often be biased. Also a mentor should be able to be completely open and honest. You can’t always get this from friends or family.
3. Your mentor should have a track record for success in the area you are looking to improve. Look for at least 5 years of successful application of the advice they want you to follow. If they don’t follow their own coaching than you should look elsewhere for advice.
4. Your mentor should have at least 1-3 hours per week or 4-12 hours per month available to meet with you. Having a mentor that never spends time with you (or uses your time together ineffectively) is waste of your time.
5. Your mentor may ask to be compensated for their time. This is okay so long as the value they are adding to your life is worth (this is a personal determination) the fee being charged. For instance it would be worth $100 a month for mentoring if it helped me earn a promotion and $15,000/yr salary increase within 12 months. Only pay for mentoring if it makes sense for you. Don’t go into debt seeking a financial advice!
6. Don’t be afraid to get more than one mentor if you feel it would be beneficial. It is generally a good idea to have a mentor in one or more of the following areas: fitness, finances, business, and relationships.
7. At some point you may out grow your mentor. This is not a sign that you don’t need one anymore. You just need a different one.

Wisdom is not the result of the knowing the solution to every problem. Wisdom is the ability to admit what you don’t know and then seek it out. If you are seeking wisdom in any area of your life, a mentor is a great place to seek a solution.