Teens Meet Outreach

If I have seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. – Isaac Newton.

Who is a Mentor? 

The English dictionary defines a mentor as a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
Mentors enable their proteges attain heights with less stress and mistakes. It is more like cutting edges- in a positive way. Their guidance makes proteges go through the road of life with little or no road bump. They provide undeniable resources that would ordinarily not be readily available if we were to search out for them ourselves.

We all know that we need people and they need us as well. But the place of a mentor goes beyond that of people in this context.

One of the great things about mentors is that they are very willing and excited to teach their proteges i.e if he/she is very willing to learn. Mentors are open minded when it comes to inculcating certain things in us.

Before we briefly talk about why we need a mentor, let us first look at what a good mentor looks like or should possess.  Before these, there should be one or two things that would draw you to him/her; sometimes, it’s not something you can easily explain, like a force. But beyond these, there are some undeniable qualities of a good mentor. 

A Good Mentor:

• Focuses on helping you on the best you can be

Like we saw earlier, great mentors are very willing to see the best in you. They are after it by every means.

• They are not in any way threatened by your success

They feel very comfortable in seeing you go beyond the paths they have toiled. It in fact gives them joy. It makes them feel fulfilled.

• They show interest in your success

They are always interested in and checking on you, to try to fix the challenges you’re going through together. For example. Let’s say you’re a short story writer, your mentor is the one who checks on how much you’ve improved in writing. He would often give assignments and evaluate your progress and see how far or slow you’re coming around. Whenever you pass through any stage of writing, it will give him great joy. They are always checking in you.  They are just interested in seeing you succeed.

• They have gone way further than you

Come on, even a layman is well aware that to get to a certain height, one should hang around those who have passed your stage and become very successful at where you plan on going.

Now, why do you need one?

You need one because a mentor:

1. Will Challenge You

He/She has gone beyond where you dream of going. This alone should challenge you to want to get there. Their life, stories of how they got there should challenge you into getting there. They will literally push you to go further and refuse to let you settle for less.

2. Will Nurture and Protect You

Like  mother hen, mentors protect us from the mistakes they made and shortcomings they had to deal with. They keep our sanity intact, protect us from premature exposure and feed us with insights.

3. Will Motivate You

They do this by several means; with words, ideas and insights that will enable you see beyond your level.

4. Will Advice You

With their own stories, they advice us. They also make use of words and actions.

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Do you have a mentor? How has he/she added to your life? Can you share with us in the comments box?

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