MENTOR me?
PLEASE. because I DO value the wisdom of others and you can help ME be a better & more successful person.
Well I never saw that coming.
While my eyes are regularly honed into the talent of others - I never considered that they could be my mentor! or that they would want to?
"wow their really good at that!"
"my gosh what drive, what success"
"damn... that was brilliant!"
There talents generally have one of two effects on me:
a) Temporary Awe
b) Inspiration *that push*
They were doing 'their thing' and rocking it, and until recently I believed I had no place in their path or them in mine besides that inspirational piece of themselves they shared with me, while working side by side, attending a conference, observing their work from afar... and on and on. I am lucky to say I have been the benefactor of both awe and inspiration (no matter how temporarily) through interactions with tons of driven, inventive, passionate and successful people.
But wait! I am driven, I set lofty dreams, I value success and personal growth - and yet I am passing by the opportunity to connect with these wildly talented creatures?? Please! What was I thinking! Passing by opportunities to gain great mentors who have already traveled many of the paths that I wish to in my life, learned lessons and fumbled now and again.
During my pre-graduation faculty send-off all three alumni speakers paid tribute to the power of a good mentor and the impact it had on their path and successes. And it was in those moments I decided to hop a board and harness the power (I know it sounds humane) of the mentor! In concluding that it is possible that the right driven, inventive, passionate and successful person who is charging down a path I hope to one day or living out the values I uphold - could in fact be willing to be my mentor! And for that matter yours too!
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I re-visited my list of drafted, non-posted blogs this evening for two reasons
1) at approximately 12:00 noon I knew I had a new feeling to write about (see upcoming blog - forget the fear/harness the passion)2) at approximately 4:00 pm someone reminded me of a blog I had written on my return from a work term in Kenya, and I wanted to revisit it myself.
I decided to go ahead and Post this blog for the following two reasons
1) This message is a message worth sharing - and not stowing away in my pile of forgotten blogs. YOU need to recognize the power of a mentor & consider engaging in your first opening conversation!
2) SIX months after writing this post I have found TWO mentors. One who I sought out and one who more or less found me. And I am growing exponentially. And it is not a one way road - in partnership with my mentors we are able to share, ponder and grow.
Similar, sentiments are shared in part in TedTalk "The Art of Asking" by Amanda Palmer and the ambitions of University of Waterloo start up Ten Thousand Coffees. Provided for your viewing pleasure - so you may dive deeper into my proposition and be moved to action.
http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.html
http://www.tenthousandcoffees.com/#splash
Ask, and then tell me how it goes!
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