Continued education and learning is important on more than just one level.
A lot of people believe that when they’re done their degree, certificate or diploma, the learning stops there. What those people don’t know is how much of a mistake that is.
Continued education and learning is important for any type of growth, and to be honest, it’s something too many people overlook in their life. If you’re not challenging yourself, and learning as much as possible – you’re probably now growing… which means you’re career is probably at a standstill.
If you’re like me, and have completed a degree… you might not be looking to jump right back into the education environment right away. Instead of jumping back into school, you should get yourself and mentor.
Regardless of what stage you’re at in your career, you should be considering integrating a mentor into your learning and development. Throughout this article, I’ll cover the numerous reasons you should be considering having a mentor, and how it can drive your business in an upwards direction.
- They’ve already gone through it
One of the biggest components of having a mentor is that they’ve gone through the gambit already.
Ideally, the person you’re going to be choosing as your mentor will be a seasoned vet in your industry. They’ll be someone who’s gone through the paces, and knows which steps worked for them, and which ones they wished they avoided.
It almost seems as a waste of time to go through this mistake yourself – when someone can guide you RIGHT towards the path of success. A mentor will be able to provide you with information that may save you months or research and strain. Really consider this one folks… it could be you saving grace, and the next thing that sends your career soaring.
- Everyone knows someone
The title says it all.
Everyone knows someone – and that’s just the truth. Haven’t you ever mentioned to a friend “Oh our company is looking for ________” and from time to time your friends answer by saying “I’m pretty sure I know someone who would be great at that!”
Networking is huge in the business world.
Once you get yourself a mentor, I assure you they’ll know someone in the industry that will be able to help you with your next project, hire or business growth. And vice versa. They might be able to connect you with someone, so YOU can help grow a skill in some facet. Knowing people does in fact hold a lot of weight in the business world. It could open a lot of doors for you, and help your business grow by word of mouth.
- Someone to push you
Now I don’t mean this in a negative way.
Every once and awhile, we all need a little push. Whether that be asking someone out on a date, or making a step in our business. Sometimes we just don’t have the courage to do things, and need a little nudge in the right direction.
Having a mentor is having someone break you out of your comfort zone. You’ll always have people in your life that will be there to comfort you… but you NEED someone who is willing to push you while supporting you – and mentors do just that.
These individuals should, of course, only encourage you in positive ways. If you’re finding yourself in a situation where your mentor is pushing you in ways that you don’t feel yourself going in, or its boarding on being a negative influence – then maybe rethink that relationship.
A mentor should only be pushing you in a comfortable, safe space – and not in a negative or destructive direction.
- Someone to share in the success with you
I’m a young, single business woman. I have a ton of friends, but none of them work in my industry, and they sometimes don’t fully understand what I do from a day to day.
From time to time, if I have a career win, or if I’ve done something to be proud of… people don’t fully understand and can’t see the overall value in the success.
Having a mentor allows you to share in your successes with someone who fully understands their value and weight on your career. Since they’ll be coaching you through aspects of your life – they’ll be able to share in all of these successes and fully understand the weight it holds on your career.
- Someone who knows your strengths and weaknesses
Mentors will know everything about you, which are a blessing and maybe in some cases… a curse. By knowing all your weaknesses and strengths, they’ll be able help you improve on certain things, and grow the skills you’ve already mastered.
Refining your skills and pushing yourself to be better is key to having a successful career and business.
At the end of the day, you’ll do what you’re comfortable with in order to grow your business and expand your learning. Choose someone to guide you through all aspects of your business growth, and maybe even personal growth.
Remember, having a mentor shouldn’t be tricky business. It should be an equal partnership between you and your chosen person, and they shouldn’t push you in directions you are uncomfortable with.
Find someone who’s aligned on a similar path to success, and someone who’s devoted to your growth and success. Once you find that, you’ll be growing in many facets of your life, and career.
“Elysse Bujold started her career at Disney Interactive Studios, where she grew on a project team advancing initiatives for the company. To further her professional growth and development, she then decided to join StreetText – an online platform for Real Estate agents to Generate Leads using Facebook Ad Marketing. Over the last year, Elyse has been driving marketing strategies and initiatives as well as content creating. Street Text is rooted in Kelowna, British Columbia.”
