You are going to get beaten down at certain points in your life. Between negativity and competitiveness, it can be a brutal environment for anyone to thrive. If you are getting complacent because nothing seems to be working for you, it may be time to use a mentor.
A mentor can view your life from an outsider’s perspective. They can advise you on what changes to make while keeping what you are doing right. It can be a hard pill to swallow, but a good mentor will be sensitive to how he or she presents your critique.
Your mentor can also give you the encouragement that helps you to believe in yourself once again. He or she can reignite the spark that has been missing in your life. Once you have that back, there will be no stopping you. That’s why it may be time to consider a mentor.
You want to be quite selective in your potential mentor candidates. Make sure you ask many questions and try to find people who have used the mentors you are considering. Get the terms of the agreement in writing and make sure you include accountability on the part of the mentor you choose.
Of course, you need to be accountable to the mentor, as well. It’s great to have a mentor give you advice. However, if you don’t take it, you are wasting your time and money. Be aware that the help he or she provides is likely to put you outside your comfort zone. You will be asked to do tasks that you never imagined you would be doing. You’ll find this both scary and exciting. You will be surprised what you can do.
If you are not getting the results the mentor claimed, this is where holding him accountable comes into play. If you are meeting your end of the deal, you should be critical when you aren’t making progress. Your agreement should come with milestones, and you deliver payment based on them. If you pay everything upfront, you lose the accountability factor. A good mentor would be willing to accept payment based on milestones. They know they can deliver.
You can use a mentor for more than guiding your career. It can be for personal reasons as well. There is a growing field in life coaching. While some people believe this is not a valid field, many swear by it.
