Years ago, someone much wiser than I, said that to truly be successful and grow as a human, you need three things – a great mentor, a peer, and a mentee. And, the older I get, the truer I find those words to be.
So, let’s talk about that for a minute.
True mentors are hard to find.
Remember learning to ride a bike for the first time. A mentor had ahold of the seat as you peddled down the driveway. Pretty soon, and sometimes without you knowing, they let go of the seat. Sometimes you went for several feet before realizing they were gone. Sometimes, you didn’t go far at all. Regardless, if you fell, they helped you up, dusted you off, and held on to your seat again… as back down the driveway.
That’s what great mentors do – they hold on for a while, and then they let go. You learn something. And they’re there again to help you begin the process anew.
Some mentors, far too many, however, believe their job is to preach platitudes and stories of their glory days, so that, by basking in the “glow of their awesomeness,” you’ll be great one day! You know the ones I’m talking about. Their ego likely beats all of the lights and arrives at the office 30 minutes before they walk in the front door.
A great mentor is part teacher and part coach. They should be searching for the things you need to improve on, while, at the same time, they should be growing the skills and strengths you already possess. A great mentor will not try to turn you into a clone of themselves. To the contrary, a great mentor should try to turn you into the best banker you can be.
Sometimes you just need someone to tell you to trim your nose-hairs.
Let’s face it. Our best friends can say stuff that we need to hear that, literally, nobody else can say in a way we’ll hear it. You need those people in your life. You need people who like you for you. You need the ones who’ve seen you struggle, laughed and cried with you… and who want nothing more than to see you succeed.
We need people we trust to call us out on our bullshit. We need people to tell us our zipper is down while blocking us as we zip-up. We need people who will tell us that our breath is kickin’ like Bruce Lee and offer us a mint. And, we need people who will tell us to trim our nose hairs.
We need people who are in our corner.
There is nothing that will make you better than teaching.
If you really want to master a craft – teach it.
Too many of us think we’re experts at everything. If that’s true, then you should be able to teach it with little-to-no effort. The reality, we often learn, is that we’re not as great as we think. Two hours later and 37 “but whys,” and we’re searching for the exits.
If you really want to grow, be a mentor. Teach someone what you know. Trust me – it will make you better while making them better. It truly is a win-win situation.
Final Thoughts.
Take a moment and think about your own life. Who is your mentor? Who is investing in you? Who is supporting you? Who is your cheerleader? And, who is your Luke Skywalker? Who are you investing in?
If you can answer those questions, you are well on your way to a fantastic adventure.
