Success Through Mentoring (Nov 22, 2009)
My friend, Li Ming, is a very successful businessman from Xi An in Western China. Once, I asked him for his secret of success in life. He told me that to succeed we must find a mentor. “Mentors play an important part in my success. A single conversation with a wise man can be very inspirational and lead to new ideas.” he said. Li Ming believes that we must learn from others instead of wasting our time reinventing the wheel. Some people may appear as innovators, but often than not, they are applying an old proven idea with a slightly different twist. In fact they are merely “standing on the shoulders of giants” by using the understanding gained by major thinkers who have gone before in order to make intellectual progress.
We will never live long enough to discover everything ourselves. Learning from successful people is the shortest route to success. Professor Xu KeCheng, another mentor of mine, gave the same advice. Richard Carswell, author and speaker, mentioned in one of his books that he always learns and emulates others who are the best of all. According to him, this principle is easily traced in areas like music. The 1950’s idol, Buddy Holly, emulated some of the style and music of the legendary Bluesman Muddy Waters, who was influenced by the vocal phrasing and guitar style of Robert Johnson, the icon of American blues musicians. Later, the Rolling Stones copied the style and music of Buddy Holly and named themselves after Muddy Waters’ 1950’s song "Rollin' Stone".
I do believe that if we want to go ahead and embark on unexplored paths to attain our goals, we must be prepared to spend more time, money and endure more frustrations. On the other hand, if we are looking to significantly improve the odds in attaining our goals, then take the straight and shortest path by finding a role model and learning from him.
There is a statement by Robert G. Allen which I find meaningful and would like to share it with you.
Robert G. Allen (born May 20, 1948, in Raymond, Alberta) is a Canadian-American financial writer whose real-estate investment and other popular financial books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Every successful person has a mentor. Mentoring is a powerful and useful form of leverage. Drawing from our mentor’s experience is the quickest, safest, and easiest way to climb the Millionaire Mountain. Mentors are found everywhere. Any individual we meet can “accidentally” teach us something to advance our cause. Mentors are not necessarily people. Anything that causes us to change our course in life like a life threatening disease, losing a job, a book, or an encounter with an animal – can serve as a mentor. A seminar leader can change our life. We must constantly seek out mentoring relationships. When we find ourselves lacking a certain attitude, awareness, skill, habit, technique or strategy, seek the help of a mentor to show us the shortcut to attaining it.
All world-class achievers have mentors and so must we. They all know the significance of standing on the shoulders of giants. Successful people like Earl Nightingale was mentored by Napoleon Hill, Woody Gurthrie acts as a mentor to Christina Aguilera, President Bill Clinton had President John F. Kennedy as his mentor and Jim Rohn is Tony Robbins’ mentor.
The best place to look for a mentor, however, is right in front of us. Look around us at work; is there an individual whom we admire and respect; someone who has always impressed us with his insight and perceptiveness? Your mentor may be your boss or your boss's boss. It could even be an older individual who is currently not the top executive of your firm, but one whom you know that has lots of experience. Approach that individual and ask if he would consider being your mentor. Depending on the individual, and your current relationship with him or her, your proposal will vary in the amount of details and how it is delivered. At the very least, let him know why you have chosen him and what you hope to learn from the association. If appropriate, you can also discuss the amount of time to be committed and what you will contribute. Don't put off the idea of choosing a mentor. What can you lose? Even if he declines to be your mentor, he will be flattered that you have asked.
Remember, it is not necessary to meet or talk to our mentors person-to-person in order to receive the benefits from them. Many of my personal mentors are no longer in this world! Successful people always help other people. Learn to Ask, Ask, And Ask! Wise people do as what Jesus Christ said in the New Testament “Seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open”. It was Buddha who said,” When the student is ready the teacher appears!” We must understand that everybody can mentor somebody and that everybody gets inspired. Have you gotten yourself a mentor? If you haven’t, start now!
We will never live long enough to discover everything ourselves. Learning from successful people is the shortest route to success. Professor Xu KeCheng, another mentor of mine, gave the same advice. Richard Carswell, author and speaker, mentioned in one of his books that he always learns and emulates others who are the best of all. According to him, this principle is easily traced in areas like music. The 1950’s idol, Buddy Holly, emulated some of the style and music of the legendary Bluesman Muddy Waters, who was influenced by the vocal phrasing and guitar style of Robert Johnson, the icon of American blues musicians. Later, the Rolling Stones copied the style and music of Buddy Holly and named themselves after Muddy Waters’ 1950’s song "Rollin' Stone".
I do believe that if we want to go ahead and embark on unexplored paths to attain our goals, we must be prepared to spend more time, money and endure more frustrations. On the other hand, if we are looking to significantly improve the odds in attaining our goals, then take the straight and shortest path by finding a role model and learning from him.
There is a statement by Robert G. Allen which I find meaningful and would like to share it with you.
I attract successful mentors.
When I am ready, they suddenly appear.
My mentors offer to mentor me and guide me to the success I desire.
My Mentor enjoys sharing with me their most important success secrets.
I feel confident in asking my mentor for advice.
My mentors intuitively know how to help me make the most important breakthroughs.
I am able to glean from the relationship with my mentors exactly what I need to launch me toward the goal that I seek.
My mentors enjoy the relationship with me.
It is exciting to be with individuals who possess the truth that I am seeking.
My mentors willingly share, encourage, and coach me to experience and express my full genius, abilities, talents and resources.
They see more in me than I see myself.
Their gentle, sequential guidance makes all the difference to my accomplishments.
My mentors know to bring out the best in me.
I study them up close and personal – if possible.
I cheerfully apprentice and pay my dues to my “masters,” as they did with their “masters”.
I read, study, and apply all that they have written and that they recommend.
I meet all my mentor’s friends. Colleagues, and loved ones and make them part of my ever-growing million-dollar Rolodex.
My life is made infinitely more meaningful with a mentor-teacher who wants to be in service to my greater growth and development.
I catch my mentor’s passion for life and living fully and richly.
I realize no one has ever achieved greatness who did not have mentors.
I am willing to have great and inspiring mentors throughout my life.
I am learning from my mentors how to be a mentor myself.
I am prepared to mentor others when the opportunity presents itself.
By Robert G. Allen
Robert G. Allen (born May 20, 1948, in Raymond, Alberta) is a Canadian-American financial writer whose real-estate investment and other popular financial books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Every successful person has a mentor. Mentoring is a powerful and useful form of leverage. Drawing from our mentor’s experience is the quickest, safest, and easiest way to climb the Millionaire Mountain. Mentors are found everywhere. Any individual we meet can “accidentally” teach us something to advance our cause. Mentors are not necessarily people. Anything that causes us to change our course in life like a life threatening disease, losing a job, a book, or an encounter with an animal – can serve as a mentor. A seminar leader can change our life. We must constantly seek out mentoring relationships. When we find ourselves lacking a certain attitude, awareness, skill, habit, technique or strategy, seek the help of a mentor to show us the shortcut to attaining it.
All world-class achievers have mentors and so must we. They all know the significance of standing on the shoulders of giants. Successful people like Earl Nightingale was mentored by Napoleon Hill, Woody Gurthrie acts as a mentor to Christina Aguilera, President Bill Clinton had President John F. Kennedy as his mentor and Jim Rohn is Tony Robbins’ mentor.
The best place to look for a mentor, however, is right in front of us. Look around us at work; is there an individual whom we admire and respect; someone who has always impressed us with his insight and perceptiveness? Your mentor may be your boss or your boss's boss. It could even be an older individual who is currently not the top executive of your firm, but one whom you know that has lots of experience. Approach that individual and ask if he would consider being your mentor. Depending on the individual, and your current relationship with him or her, your proposal will vary in the amount of details and how it is delivered. At the very least, let him know why you have chosen him and what you hope to learn from the association. If appropriate, you can also discuss the amount of time to be committed and what you will contribute. Don't put off the idea of choosing a mentor. What can you lose? Even if he declines to be your mentor, he will be flattered that you have asked.
Remember, it is not necessary to meet or talk to our mentors person-to-person in order to receive the benefits from them. Many of my personal mentors are no longer in this world! Successful people always help other people. Learn to Ask, Ask, And Ask! Wise people do as what Jesus Christ said in the New Testament “Seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open”. It was Buddha who said,” When the student is ready the teacher appears!” We must understand that everybody can mentor somebody and that everybody gets inspired. Have you gotten yourself a mentor? If you haven’t, start now!
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