Top 5 Reasons You Need a Mentor: Unlock Your Potential

“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.” – Bob Proctor

On your journey to success, you need people who can see the potential in you and guide you through; and only a mentor can do that. They provide you with counsel and resources that are not readily available or accessible to you. They help you connect with people who can influence your career growth.

Having a mentor is not just a gift, it’s a blessing. The more you understand the value of mentoring, the more you know why some of the most influential people relate their success stories to a strong mentoring relationship that they had or still have.

Studies suggest that mentoring has a positive effect on mentees’ attitudes, behavioral outcomes, health-related outcomes, motivational outcomes, and career outcomes.

To understand the importance of a mentor in your life, you must understand who is a mentor and what is the role of a mentor.

A mentor is someone willing to spend his/her time to guide someone else’s professional and personal development using his/her skills, knowledge, and personal experiences. Your mentor plays the role of a guide, a trusted advisor, a counselor, a teacher, and a role model to their mentee’s life.

Also Read: 7 Ways to Create a Successful Group Mentoring Program

How does the executive mentoring relationship work?

Executive mentoring is more like an agreement where the mentor and mentee agree to work on a certain goal set by the mentee, the duration of the relationship, and the expectations they both have from each other and the program. Though the formal mentoring relationship ends within 9 to 12 months, both mentor and mentee can continue their relationship informally.

Here are 5 reasons why you need a mentor.

1. Mentors Empower

A mentor helps you grow in your career by maximizing your potential. He/she opens doors of opportunities for you, empowers you, and encourages you to focus on your goals. A mentor helps you build yourself and provides you with ideas and thoughts that change the way you look at the world.

Sometimes, in achieving your objective, your mentor can see the possibilities and believes in you even when you do not believe in yourself. The power you get, when someone believes that you can do something, helps you accomplish your goals.

2. Mentors Advice

A mentor is an experienced individual who has seen a lot in life and learned lessons through mistakes. Their approach to a problem is different from you and you have a lot to learn from them. The advice they give is priceless. Their advice helps you succeed in your career and develop you as a person.

Mentors also help you improve your problem-solving abilities by not giving solutions to a problem; rather they guide you to find a way to solve it while protecting you from making major professional mistakes.

Also Read: Mentoring Expectations from a Mentor

3. Mentors Motivate

Have you ever planned your workout routine and then missed it just because you feel sluggish? We all have been through it.

There are times when you know that you have a goal, but you don’t have the motivation to work towards achieving it. A mentor motivates you, inspires you by their stories, and doesn’t let you stop until you achieve your goals.

4. Mentors Challenge

Challenging yourself continuously is important for a successful career. A mentor pushes you beyond your limits and helps you achieve things that you would have never imagined. They expose you to real-life challenges which helps you build confidence and develop the necessary skills in advancing your career.

Another interesting way your mentor challenges you is, they ask you difficult-to-answer questions that help you think more and increase your wisdom.

According to Every Woman, a mentor can challenge you in 3 different ways to help you succeed.

Also Read: How to Find a Mentor – 5 Things to Remember

5. Mentors Connect

Your mentor helps you grow your network within the organization. They can connect you to industry professionals with specific skill sets who can help you enhance your skills and knowledge. Your mentor provides you with opportunities to include yourself in business discussions or meetings to facilitate future access.

Now that you know the importance of a mentor, take an online mentee training course before you get involved in a mentoring relationship. Training is important to make a mentoring relationship effective. It makes sure that you and your mentor get the most out of your time.