What It Means TO Be A Mentor I just got an invite from a group of men I respect to declare myself an “elder.” Interesting to me is to...declare it or did I earn it? I’m already viewed as a respected elder in many other communities but I know men and women struggle with this. They paint their hair the color it once was. They have their wrinkles, their wisdom lines removed...why? They resist what they have no control of...age. The more they resist...the more that age comes but, perhaps they have not yet learned the lessons. Is this the reason for the resistance? Age brings knowledge. It is not until we reach the age of 50 to 55 that we have enough years on the planet...to hopefully have gained knowledge. What is the role of the “elder?” First it not to be “elderly.” Our society embraces the young, the hip, the cool, the good looking who have no knowledge or wisdom. It is not possible to teach someone what you have not yet experienced. So, what is the role of the “elder?” To teach and mentor the young ones. As these men and women grow older, they have the chance to be a guide for someone who is younger and less experienced than they. This need for people to feel connected, loved, and taught by someone better than they are has given rise to different concepts such as mentoring. I use the word “concept” because mentoring is “uncommon” not “common.” Do not confuse this when in business the word mentor is used. Really they are not mentors. They are teachers perhaps a coach but rarely a mentor. When people say that no man is an island, they don’t only mean that no man or woman should live alone. Men and women are perpetually learning creatures: they need the help of someone to guide them through life, and to help them make wise decisions. Mentoring, or the process of mentorship, is really a growing, strengthening bond that occurs between a mentor, who is more experienced, who is certainly wiser; and his or her protégé, a mentee or someone who is less experienced and wise, and who therefore needs to be guided by the mentor. The concept of mentorship has long been known and tracked in history. In fact, it was Homer ín the story of the Odyssey that first gave rise to the term mentor through its character called Mentor, who, despite the fact that he is presented as a somewhat debilitated old man, is actually used by Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, to guide Odysseus son Telemachus through a difficult time in the young man’s life. The Ancient Greeks had the concept of pederasty, which teachers young men to greatness. The Hindu and Buddhist religions have the concept of the guru, where a wise, religious man serves as the spiritual guide of someone who is misguided or who needs to know the Truth. In Judaism and Christianity, the concept of discipleship forms both history and current practice, as clergy or deeply spiritual people guide their respective flocks or followers. There are many famous mentor protégé relationships in history. Take, for instance, the triplet of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, three great minds in philosophy who preceded each other. Socrates was the mentor of Plato, and Plato was the mentor of Aristotle. Aristotle was even the mentor of Alexander the Great. The Christian faiths owe a good deal of their spread to the letters and preaching of St. Paul. In the music industry, the rapper Dr. Dre is mentor to younger rappers Eminem and Snoop Dogg. In the movie industry, the famous and late British actor Sir Laurence Olivier served as mentor for multi-awarded actor Sir Anthony Hopkins. Even fiction has its own share of mentors and protégés. There are the Jedi knights of the famous Star Wars epics, where Qui-Gon Jinn mentors Obi-Wan Kenobi; when QuiGon Jinn dies, Obi-Wan Kenobi takes on Anakin Skywalker; Luke Skywalker, Anakinís son, is mentored by Yoda. The master-padawan relationship in the Star Wars series is actually like a mentor and protégé. It is time for the old ones to take their place among the “elders.” There is no need to declare it...because you earned it...how? The lessons of life! Change Your Mindset and Change Your Results! Rich
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:35:04 +0000
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