You Don't Need a Mentor
Since the pandemic, "eating out" meant we buy food somewhere and eat in the car • Photo © Ayo Ayco
Wouldn’t it be great if we all have someone who pushes us into achieving our full potential? I can’t count how many friends I’ve heard they need a mentor.
But lately I feel like this concept has been blown out… partly by those who make a living out of it, and now most of us are left looking for person/s who will finally help us achieve our goals.
Many are now left paralyzed.
For sure, successful people may have some form of mentor behind them.
But when I look at this purely in a practical sense, if all of us wait for a mentor, many will be left out.
There’s just not that many good role-models or successful people or experts who will have the time or interest to attend to us!
Must we let this put our own growth to a halt?
The truth is, when we think about it, the mentor concept sounds good because it seems to release us from responsibility.
But those who do have mentors and have a good working relationship with them, will have found this out: they are still the sole responsible person for their growth.
The benefit they get from having a mentor is that they have someone who will hold them accountable for their decisions and actions.
If this is the case, then can’t we just scrap this mentor thing and go straight to the point?
We need accountability.
If we admit that this is what we need, it will practically be more achievable than waiting for that mentor.
First, we own the responsibility. We are accountable to ourselves. No other person is to blame.
Then, we can find others. May not be as crucial as the first, but we will benefit in finding other people who also owns their responsibility for their growth.
There’s a quote attributed to one Jim Rohn I keep remembering:
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
If so then two things happen: first, inevitably your pursuit of growth and taking responsibility will benefit those around you.
Then connecting to like-minded others will further nurture your growth.
With this, we begin to have a cycle of Accountability… and in a way we become a mentor to ourselves and to others.
Isn’t this what we really want?
What is one thing that keeps you from taking full responsibility for your growth?