Loads of business “self-help” books go on about why you should look for a mentor. For advice, guidance, insights and a bit of help here and there. Not me.
I would say, go and pick some heroes first. Heroes are far more powerful in my view. Let me quickly explain why:
- Heroes are in no short supply. They come in all colours and shapes. Finding a mentor mostly happens within the circle of people you meet and know.
- Heroes are analysed, dissected and explained by others. Whereas mentors work mainly from self-analysis and their own framework of success.
- Heroes work together well and can be changed out when needed. Mentors create a longer term dependency and the relationship is often exclusive.
- Heroes cannot be used as an excuse (hear yourself say “hey, i failed because when studying Steve Jobs, Hubspot and Sesame Street I found out they got some of this shit wrong…”). Mentors are often brought in as a (fake) insurance policy for success. Which is both unrealistic and unfair.
But most of all, I feel it is a matter of attitude towards your future. Active or passive.
You pick your heroes and study them, learn to think and act like them. Approach this if it were some intensive continuous training exercise. This is how you interiorise a success-attitude. Or you find a mentor and ask for advice and guidance (so the mentors initiative and timescales). Mainly a receiving more passive approach.
Act as if you own your destiny. Pick and study your heroes well. And if a mentor crosses your path introduce him to your heroes.
Note: I am much more in favour of the concept of “mentor-ing“. A do-word as they say. Mentoring is a crucial activity for those who want to lead change and achieve a vision.
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