New Years Resolutions 2012
It’s 2012 and things are already on the up and up!
I wonder, how many of you would like to take things to the next level? Have you made New Years Resolutions and gotten wishy washy results or no results at all? That’s because most of the time, New Years Resolutions don’t even work!
In my video above I describe why this is the case for many people – and I make a suggestion on one simple way to improve our results and throw down the gauntlet for an InspirACTION Challenge this week.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your results is by finding a mentor. I’m not talking about finding a mentor who will be the drill sergeant of your life and tell you what to do, how to do it, and shame you for not doing what they say. I’m talking about finding a mentor who will be there to hold you accountable, push your limits, tell it to you like it is, bat for you, and be the sounding board for your ventures.
My friend Edward Elliott was that person for me throughout the beginning of 2011. I grew so much just by talking with Ed for an hour once a week.
Let’s talk about what a mentor looks like, the benefits of having one, and most importantly how to find a mentor!
What Does a Mentor Look Like?
A mentor can take many forms, but most typically a mentor is someone who:
- Is successful in the area you would like to see more results
- Is open and excited about the idea of taking on a mentee
- Is respectful and non-judgmental of where you are at
When you find your mentor they can be anyone from a certified coach, to someone in your extended family. They could be a successful business professional in your industry, or even a teacher. Sometimes it will be to your advantage to seek out someone you don’t know very well because there is less ‘baggage’ that might get in the way of your mentor and mentee relationship.
Bonus Tip: You want a mentorship program that will really pay off? Consider investing some money into who you’re having to coach you. Tell me, if you were signed up for a class that was free – would you be more willing or less willing to blow it off than if you had to pay money for it? The same is true with a mentor or a professional coach – sometimes you need to pay to hold yourself accountable.
What Are the Benefits of Finding a Mentor?
A good mentor will:
- Hold you accountable
- Inspire you and encourage you to do things you might not do on your own
- Tell you what you need to hear – and they won’t avoid telling you where you could use improvement
- Push your limits to get you to grow
- Always “bat for you” and be on your team 100% – they will never work against you, only for you
- Help you develop and cultivate new ideas
- Empower you to make the best decisions for yourself – on your own
How do you Find a Mentor?
This is a common question for this subject and is often the most critical aspect of it’s success. It’s “How to Find a Mentor?”
I think we could group the various strategies into three different categories:
- Who do you know already?
- Who does your network know?
- Who are the people you’ve identified as leaders within your industry or the subject area of focus?
Who Do You Know Already?
Do you know someone already that you could work with that would meet some of the qualifications already discussed in this post? If you’re in school – do you have any teachers you have a good relationship with that might be a good fit? Do you know any professional coaches already? Start here.
Who Does Your Network Know?
Chances are, if you don’t know someone who could be a mentor, your network does. Who are the biggest connectors you know? You know, the person who talks to everyone and knows everyone? Connect with them, tell them what you’d like to find and any other information you can give them about your ideal mentor and see if they can come up with anyone. Here’s a hint: Don’t stop with the first result! Go fishing!
Who are the Leaders?
If you’re really into social media and actively networking, you’ve probably got a good sense of who the leaders are in your industry. You never know who might be willing to take you on as a mentor for an hour or two per week. And, even if the leaders you contact aren’t the mentor you seek, they may know someone who would be an even better fit. It doesn’t hurt to send a message, you might be surprised at the results. The higher the caliber you’re willing to shoot for, the better off you’ll be in the long run.
Leverage social networking to get in contact with these people, and if you can get a hold of their personal email – just go for it. If you have a friend that’s already connected with who you’d like to work with, get them to make the introduction for you.
So that’s it for this week’s InspirACTION!
In the comments below tell us,
“What’s the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever received from someone?”
-It could be about anything, so go nuts!
And please, if you haven’t already, subscribe to my brand new YouTube Channel: InspirACTION TV and share this post out if you found it of value!
