Nomad 365 Club: Mentorship
Guidance & Wisdom
"We're here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark." — Whoopi Goldberg
I've never truly had someone I proudly proclaimed as my "mentor." I've had college friends who would casually toss into a conversation a new accomplishment or lesson they learned recently thanks to their mentor, with a clear struggle to contain their zest for life and optimism. And I'd think to myself, "Wow, it must be so nice to have an active mentor in your life pouring into you. And where are these mentors knighting young mentees with all the potential their minds can fathom?"
But more importantly, what makes a true mentor? Let's do a crash course.
Mentor (noun):
An experienced, trusted advisor who guides a less experienced person (also known as a mentee) to grow personally or professionally. Unlike a manager or coach, a mentor offers broad, experience-based perspective and support rather than dictating strict, task-oriented goals.
The term originates from Greek mythology. In the ancient epic poem Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus left his son, Telemachus, in the care of a trusted, older friend while he went off to fight in the Trojan War. And that loyal friend’s name was Mentor.
There are several categories of mentorship: such as a career mentor for professional guidance, a peer mentor who's closer to your own current stage of progress, or a life mentor who guides your overall well-being through new life stages.
In my mind, I always pictured that for someone to officially be your mentor, there needed to be a conversation. A clear and concise ask from the prospective mentee requesting mentorship. A mutual agreement on the mentor's role. Maybe even a firm handshake to seal the deal. Then, and only then, the long-term mentorship would begin. But maybe it's much more informal than that.
I've never had someone I heralded as "my mentor," but if a mentor is someone with more experience than me guiding me through a challenge, I've had, and still have many mentors. Some were for a season of my life: teachers, professors, pastors. Some are indeed lifelong. I've even had what I call "virtual mentors"—public figures, largely known or not, whose insights I’ve consumed religiously. I deem myself a lifelong student, ready to learn from anybody and everybody, whether intentionally or indirectly. If you're not learning, you're regressing. I guarantee you have more mentors in your life than you think.
But the best mentors are the ones who can not only see a resolution to a problem that needs solving, but who have unshakable belief in the potential you possess.
“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”
The goal to learn shouldn't be to simply gain knowledge. What truly makes a life-altering difference is wisdom. Knowledge is fact-based—it shows awareness of something. Wisdom is having the practicality to apply what is known.
So far in this 365 club experience, we've spent a lot of time doing inner work. You've had a great season of self-reflection, but even we can have blind spots when looking in the mirror. It's invaluable to have trusted influence to help add perspective to our own lived experience. There's a proverb I love:
Proverbs 15:22:
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
I may not have called anyone my official mentor, but I can proudly say I've been a mentee and have had the privilege to mentor throughout my entire life.
You've taken a great amount of time so far this year to look within. This month, we'll take a look around and analyze who the wise counsel is in your life. Whose opinion, perspective, and experience do you consider valuable? It can be someone close to you, someone you work with, a peer, or even a public figure you follow online. You're not meant to navigate life's obstacles on your own. The wise counsel I’ve received has saved my life more times than I can share in this message.
And while you're pointing out who pours into you, don't underestimate how valuable you and your lived experiences are to others. It would be a disservice to gain a lifetime of wisdom only for it all to pass away with you still holding it. As we are given to, we must also give to others. We'll look for opportunities where we can mentor others as well. You may be surprised just how much you can gain from giving.