Teachers in the shoes of mentors

Let me tell you about the teachers I’ve had in my day; ranging from authors, editors to private instructors to career experts, podcasters, friends, and even university professors; lest knowledge workers like myself…and I‘m grateful to them all.

Just one thing: I must admit that I learned a lot of information from them most of which I just could not apply.

I'd waste a lot of time and after trying so long, I was not content with my progress and with myself. I thought there was always something missing in achieving my dreams…and took responsibility for all the gaps.

Then I discovered the difference between a teacher and a mentor.

I had a peer that cared about me. She didn't just spew information at me. She took the time to listen to what I had to say. To see what I was struggling with. And get to know me and what my goals and dreams were. Then, she took me by the hand, we made a custom plan together,  and she showed me how to get there.

She showed me how to define and set achievable goals; also how to break it down into manageable bite-sized chunks that I could work on easily each week..and as I followed her guidance, and watched my progress take off like never before, that's when I learned:

It really was possible for ME to become the caring knowledge worker I always wanted to be. It literally brought me to tears. I was so confident and fired up I felt like I could pick up a house!

Through this process, I also learned first hand that my lack of progress wasn't because of me…and it wasn't because of any of the reasons I thought before: like lack of motivation, not enough time, wasn't smart enough, had interest in a variety of fields unable to focus- or any other reason I thought was holding me back in the past.

Was it procrastination, then? No. The whole time, it was simply because I wasn't clear on where I wanted to go. And I didn't have a plan to get there.

That's the recipe for achievement.

You see, a good mentor is like a trailblazer, a trained GPS:

First of all, if you don't pick your destination, then you'll never "arrive" anywhere. But when you define exactly where you want to go, you tell your GPS… and it then gives you the exact playbook - the step-by-step, turn-by-turn directions to take you exactly to your destination in the shortest time possible.

You arrive at your chosen destination - guaranteed.

That's how becoming self-made works.

It's not an accident. And you don't get there by chance.

You get there by choosing your destination. And then following the step-by-step plan you lay out with your "mentor". Then you even become the self-trained mentor, eager to help peers needing direction.

Are you ready to face the adventure together?

Author’s note: At no point in this post or in my personal life do I believe that mentors are better than teachers or vice versa, or that teachers cannot be mentors. The way I see it, we all need and have teachers to tell us how things work or how things are done. But some of us need more than the instruction, especially in academia. Some of us need a mentor who can show us how we can go about it in the best possible manner while making sure we progress.  My mentors have shown me the best way to become the very best version of myself as a researcher. I have a special place in my heart for all the teachers and mentors who have helped me get to where I am today, and as a mentor, when I see my dreamy eyed mentees, I want to push myself to be the guidepost, the lighthouse they really need me to be.