Everyone, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you strive to be, should always strive to make improvements in their life. At our agency, our staff is always striving to be or do better, because at the end of the day, we will be helping more people stay protected by providing them with the coverage they need. Your motives may be different, but the need for self-improvement is present in any profession, personal life, or whatever the situation may be. One factor a lot of people overlook though is that the key to self-improvement is having a strong mentor to guide you.
The Benefits of Having a Mentor
A mentor, first and foremost, is someone that will help you become a better version of you. A mentor could help you learn new things, help you figure out where you’re struggling, or help you develop new habits that will lead to greater success or well-being. Overall, there are a few qualities that good mentors demonstrate, such as:
- The ability to understand your strengths and weaknesses.
- They help your decision making process so it is to your benefit.
- They help you see the same situations from different perspectives.
- They can help with skill-building that is specific to your profession.
- They can introduce you to helpful tools/resources or other industry professionals.
Where to Find a Mentor
Mentors come in many different forms, and can be anyone around that you can learn from. Many people struggle with where they should start looking for the right mentor, though, because they can come from basically anywhere. One tip we have for you is that if you’d like to seek out mentorship from a stranger that you admire, try not to immediately request their mentorship, because in most cases, they may not be very receptive to a “cold” approach. Instead, follow their work, try to help them out when you can, and be supportive of their thoughts, projects, or causes. Stand behind them and try to bridge the gap slowly over time, while learning from a distance. If you’re lucky, they may eventually take you under their wing. Mentors can also be a close friend, loved one, or even a boss or colleague at work. You just have to look for someone that you can learn from, whether it be personally or professionally, and seek out their wisdom. Remember, when you’re looking for a mentor, try to be someone who is enjoyable to mentor. Always be interested in the work or areas you are developing in, and let your mentor know that you appreciate their time.
In Conclusion
Mentors are there to help you improve and become a better person. Everyone will eventually reach their own personal plateau, but if you have a mentor or mentors in place, you can still work on self-improvement and strive to be better than you were yesterday. Keep an eye out for our next blog in our mentor series where we will go over the qualities of the right mentor and the different types of mentors you can look for to help you succeed. Here’s to wishing you all a bright 2016!