If you follow my podcast or YouTube channel you already know that I’m starting the new year by mentoring a college student, and aspiring entrepreneur, Alexis and sharing our adventures in video diaries periodically. If you didn’t know, I would encourage you to go to one or both of those and subscribe to see the updates.
Today I want to share about the value of mentorship and get you thinking about it a little differently. I first remember hearing about mentorship formally when I was in 8th grade and my teacher taught on the guild system in ancient europe. There was the skilled craftsman and the apprentice learning the trade. The idea resonated with me, but as I got older I realized there wasn’t much formalized mentorship anymore. With the exception of the trades–which I am a gigantic supporter of–many businesses and industries were isolated, individual, and you were in competition, not collaboration.
That has only increased over the decades with the rise of the internet, remote work, and people changing jobs regularly. The idea of mentoring someone was replaced with degrees, certifications, and, if you’re in medicine, clinicals.
But there is something to be said about gaining wisdom, not just knowledge. The idea of learning through collaboration rather than videos. When we are mentored, we learn from someone who has a great deal of experience in an area and we may bring some new knowledge that we can create into something great. It is the back and forth that helps create something. [yes, I used “create” twice]. I think that is lost when we only have access to pre-recorded videos. It is like each person starts on the bottom rung instead of working in a group where you all end up higher.
I have also learned by mentoring others how to break through the clutter and return to the simplicity of my topic. I overcomplicate things, but when I’m breaking down the process to mentor my apprentice, I get focused on the core of what we do. This has made me even more effective and efficient.
Take Away for your Life:
You don’t need to wait until you are mentoring someone to use this. Look for ways to collaborate, look for people to collaborate with, and work to simplify the areas of your life that are increasingly complex, and return to the core of what you do. Then share your results with us. We could all use more ways to find balance.
If you found this helpful, I also share weekly, short, and practical content on my Substack that you can apply immediately. The free version is perfect for bite-sized insights, while the premium subscription includes downloadable tools, exclusive teachings from me, and significant discounts on products and coaching. For personalized support, coaching is available by phone or video (with recordings provided).
If you’re interested in diving deeper into this topic, here’s an article I found that might be relevant to your journey.
#Business #Education
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