Many people remain on the fence about hooking up with a mentor or coach in their lives and their businesses. We have done some digging and found 10 great reasons why you should have a mentor.

1. The structure provides automatic accountability

We have found that our students often prepare for their meetings. They attack the assignments and have everything ready so that they can get the right answers when needed. The mentors and coaches help to keep them in check with their to-do list and on course.

2. They may ask you questions that you may never ask yourself

They say that two heads are better than one and they are right. Sometimes having that educated and well verse person in your corner helps when you are planning and attacking your goals. They can point out the things that you may have missed and ask you the questions that you don’t think to ask yourself.

3. You can learn to reflect

A mentor does not have an alternate agenda except to help get the most out of you. So you never have to worry about any other side-effects as you discuss your life and work issues. That in itself will let you open up and reflect on things at a level that you have never seen before.

4. Discover the “real” problem and get help to solve it

Sometimes we keep messing with symptoms rather than attacking the real problems. I have found time and again that I discuss a particular problem with my mentor and actually we end up solving the “real” problem. Solving the “real” problem will in turn solve the symptomatic problems that you first set out to solve.

5. You may escape from “short-term thinking”

The mentor helps once again to keep you on track to your goals and help you get to them. They can assist you from viewing just the short term thinking like how to make the quick buck and actually work towards building your business.

6. Get a “responsible” alternate perspective

You may have other avenues where you can get alternate perspectives on a particular topic or issue. However, when a mentor provides an alternate perspective, there is a dose of responsibility that comes packaged with it. In other words, your mentor has a higher stake in the outcome than your peers and friends do.

7. Get into the “thinking” habit

Most often, you get carried away and practice “thinking on the go” – meaning you will think while you are engaged in doing something. Mentoring will put a stop to that and start you on a “thinking” path. I am sure none of us will argue on the importance of the need to think.

8. Get ready to welcome new possibilities

While everyone around you may be trying to “fix” things with you, your mentor will look at how you can capitalize on your strengths. Rarely can you claim to be aware of all your strengths. Even if you do, you may not be making the most of them. A mentor can work with you to ensure that you are spending most of your time in the areas of your strengths and also take care of other things (where you are not that good) by putting a suitable structure in place.

9. Learn to be in balance

Mahatma Gandhi said, “One man cannot do right in one department of life when he is occupied in doing wrong in any other department. Life is one indivisible whole.” While you may know this, chances are that you may be neglecting several other parts of your life. With your mentor’s help, you can be assured of living a more balanced life.

10. Get help to distinguish yourself in the marketplace

Unless you distinguish yourself, you will be part of the commodity crowd. Not doing anything about it will only erode your value in the marketplace. Distinguishing yourself is a journey and not a destination. What is special today will no longer be special tomorrow. Your mentor can act as a catalyst here to help you rise above the commodity crowd quickly. If you are smart and disciplined, with or without a mentor you may succeed. Why not increase your odds by engaging with a mentor?

 

Related articles

• How to Benefit from a Mentor Relationship (money.usnews.com)
• How a Mentor Can Help You (brighthub.com)