hether you’re 16 or 96, we aren’t meant to figure out all of life’s nuances by ourselves or face challenges alone. We need community – our biological wiring necessitates this in all areas of our lives.
In my professional life, I was fortunate enough to have some really amazing managers that served as mentors. They helped me understand corporate politics, raised my self-awareness, and identified gaps in skills I could develop.
Now that I’m on my own, I have a business coach and a whole coaching community that I lean on to navigate the stressors and unique problems faced by entrepreneurs.
The truth is that every successful business person had a mentor at one point. No one has succeeded alone.
Regardless of what stage of your professional career you’re in, you can do a few things to find a mentor or coach for you to help take you to the next level.How To Get A Mentor1. Decide you want a mentor/coach.
It sounds obvious, but simply making the decision that you want a mentor or coach has a lot of power. The RAS (reticular activating system) in your brain will start looking for ways to find one based on this new decision (think about last time you decided to buy a car and then started seeing the same model all over the freeway).
2. Write down your why.
Make Simon Sinek proud and start with your why – why do you want a mentor or coach in the first place? Do you want to advance your corporate career? Do you have something specific you want to learn? Are you trying to start a new business? Do you simply need general support for all areas of your life? Knowing your why will help you gain clarity on the “who.”
3. Make a list of what you want in a mentor/coach.
Pick someone you admire, not just in the area of your why, but in their whole life. How they do one thing is probably how they do all things. Do you want someone who is a kick-ass executive, has a happy marriage, and is involved in their kids’ lives? Or maybe you’re looking for someone super healthy and fit in their nutrition, exercise, and relationships. Make a list of the type of whole-person you want to help guide you and teach you.
4. Start telling others.
In your everyday conversations at work or in your personal circles, mention that you are looking for a mentor/coach. You never know who might have a connection for you.
5. Listen to your gut.
You don’t have to pick the first potential mentor/coach that comes across your path, but don’t discount the fact this person came into your life in the first place. Reflect back on your why, look at your list, and listen to your intuition – it has a lot of wisdom!The good news is that we have the opportunity to learn from everyone we encounter. Regardless of whether you have a mentor/coach for a season or for years, we get to discover new things about ourselves, others, and the world.
That’s my favorite thing about being coached myself and having the privilege of coaching others in starting their solopreneur businesses. If you want to hear more, visit my Coaching page or just shoot me a note!