“Wax on, wax off” – Mr Miyagi, The Karate Kid

I always wanted to be Daniel-San from The Karate Kid but I didn’t have my own Mr Miyagi. Someone to show me how to stand on wooden posts using only one leg, wax cars and fight bullies.

As The Karate Kid shows us, Mentors are invaluable on our journey to success.

What is a mentor

A mentor is someone who has done what you want to do or; has what you want. They are someone you could trust and have experience in your field.

Not all mentors are old, which is what I assumed, they may be young. The key is they must be the kind of person you want to become.

Why you need a mentor

So why do you need your very own Mr Miyagi?

They can help you get to where you want to be quicker! They’ve already done what you want to do which means; they know what to do, and they also know what NOT to do.

Knowing what not to do,means they can reduce the number of times you go off course and make mistakes.

Where is your mentor

The first place to look is your family. They’ve probably been giving advice since you were little but….have they done what you want to do? Only you can answer that.

If your family haven’t got the experience to point you in the right direction, then you’ll need to look  elsewhere.

The next place I’d look are books. Many of the greatest men and women to walk the Earth have written books. Some may not be alive but they have left their knowledge in a book. Invest your time and learn from them.

If you prefer talking to a real person, make a list of all the experts in your field and use the internet to acquire their email or number. Offer to buy them lunch, buy them a starter, main, dessert – just keep them talking.

Now you may be wondering why you’re paying if they’re the successful one. The reason is, they are giving up their time to meet you, which is priceless. During the meal they may drop an idea on your lap which may totally transform your life.

Many Mentors

Once you have a mentor in your chosen profession, you don’t have to stop there. Think of every aspect of your life and you could have a mentor in each 

• Relationships
• Finance
• Education
• Sports
• Religion 

Each mentor guiding you and presenting new ideas so you can design your own life. 

Summary

Mentors are vital if you want to speed up your success and become a better version of yourself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and have journalled your 3 takeaways. Thank you for investing your time, I really appreciate it.

Have a great day

Joe