Mentoring is not a new concept; it has it’s roots in ancient Greece. And throughout the millennia, mentoring – providing guidance and counsel to a younger individual – has occurred spontaneously in the form of informal relationships at school, at work or within the family.
Successful people around the world, whether athletes, entrepreneurs or artists have had mentors who helped them spread their wings and unleash their potential. At any point of your career, mentors can prove vital. They can guide you towards taking the right direction in your career, assist you to have a head start towards the right direction, and help you discover the proper way to enjoy this journey.
Mentoring is not a one-size-fits all endeavor. Having a mentor is not only about the advice you receive or the lessons you learn from them, but it is also about what you are willing to share with your tutor. Honesty is an important parameter in creating a healthy mentor-athlete relationship if you really want to grow and improve yourself. Remember that it’s a win-win situation. A good mentor will help you by listening and sharing his/her knowledge and experience. At the same time, you will build the backbone of your success while realizing that you can achieve your wildest dreams, and perhaps financial victory as well. Long term positive mentoring relationships develop through demonstrating positive relationship behavior such as authenticity, empathy, collaboration and companionship.
It’s not that easy to choose a mentor who can meaningfully contribute towards taking your career to the next level. Let’s find out how a Money Smart Athlete can wisely choose a business mentor, so that the mentorship is meaningful and allows the athlete to maximize what he/she has gained through it.
MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS REQUIRES THE RIGHT REASONS
As an athlete, you might believe that having a professional athlete as your mentor may be a really good option. This is not always the case, unless you are planning to play sports for the rest of your life. If you really want to focus on succeeding financially in your life, you must pick a mentor who will be able to offer you the advice you really need. Mentors are caring individuals who along with family and friends, provide you with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and a constructive example.
Are you dreaming of starting your own business? If yes, then find an entrepreneur who has successfully managed to build a business from scratch. There are hundreds of people out there who can share their successful life stories with you and help you achieve your dreams. Just make sure your mentor’s professional experience is somehow related to what you expect to achieve businesswise. Below, we list 11 characteristics that we believe every successful business mentor should have.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD BUSINESS MENTOR:
- HAS EXPERIENCE – Your mentor should have the relevant experience so that he/she can act wisely towards your benefit.
- HAS VISION & VALUES – Find a mentor whose values align with your values and who shares the same vision of achievement as you.
- SUPPORTS YOU – Your mentor should celebrate with your successes and pick you up in your failures.
- CHALLENGES YOU – Choose a mentor who challenges you and always pushes you to become better.
- PROVIDES FEEDBACK – Pick a mentor who will help you understand exactly why something went wrong by providing useful feedback.
- RESPECTS YOU – The right mentor sees you as their equal and does not underestimate neither you nor your capabilities.
- IS A GOOD LISTENER – You want a mentor who is not only willing to follow their own beliefs, but mostly listen to yours.
- IS TRUSTWORTHΥ – If you cannot trust and rely on your mentor, then you will not be able to learn from him/her.
- IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE – Find a mentor who is always available to provide you with the advice and assistance you need. Your mentor should maintain a steady presence in your life.
- FOCUSES ON YOU – Your mentor focuses on your needs and tries to improve your prospects.
- ACCOMODATES YOU – You want a mentor who does not impose his or her opinions and beliefs on you and does not try to transform you into something you are not.
The motivational speaker, consultant, author and lecturer, Bob Proctor, who has transformed millions of people’s lives with his work, claims that: “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”
Always remember that having a mentor is not far from looking yourself in a mirror. Make sure that you look for a person who reflects your professional style, your personal goals, and your overall vision. If you need any help on how to choose your business mentor or getting the most out of your mentoring relationship, you can get in touch with us at [email protected].
