DON'T NEGLECT THIS IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO GET BETTER
In my last post, I talked about the power of community.
Today, I want to talk about something that I also feel very strongly about.
Mentorship.
Conventional wisdom says, mentorship is only for grownups in the workforce.
But the truth is, more than ever, our children need mentors.
Parenting is not mentorship.
While parenting and mentorship can both involve guidance and support, they are unique in their own ways.
Parenting (you) is:
✔️ a full time role
✔️ involves a power dynamic
✔️ wide range of responsibilities
✔️ requires a long term commitment
Mentorship (someone else) is:
✔️ goal / project oriented
✔️ a focused and specific relationship
✔️ concentrated area of expertise
✔️ an equal level of power with the other person
Your child has you as their parent.
Now, they need a mentor.
3 REASONS WHY MENTORSHIP IS CRUCIAL FOR YOUR CHILDREN'S SUCCESS
1) Mentorship can guide your children to discover their purpose.
Especially so when technology is replacing the need for humans.
Machines and algorithms are disrupting the job market.
Our children’s future will not be made certain with a college degree. They need to develop a strong set of skills to survive (and thrive) in the future of uncertainty.
With mentors,
✅ Children will receive fresh revelation to life
✅ They will be equipped with strategies for growth that leads them to their purpose
✅ Their vision becomes clearer and their compass is tuned towards the right direction
When this happens, it helps the child zoom in to what they truly stand for.
That’s what I love about mentorship and why I have a few mentors myself.
Over the years of growing up, I have had mentors to guide me in almost every aspect of my life: school, community, spirituality, personal growth, marriage, business...
My mentors helped me master my craft, from articulating my thoughts to creating an action plan that helps me achieve it.
MY MENTORS HELP FILL THE GAPS IN MY LIFE THAT EVEN MY OWN PARENTS COULDN'T FILL AND WEED OUT THE DISTRACTIONS MY OWN PARENTS COULDN’T SEE.
When I fall out of line for just a little bit, I am made accountable to my mentor to get me back on track.
The best thing is, this can also be the same for your child.
2) Mentorship can help your children step into a new world.
It’s an important to note that ‘mentors’ are not 70 year old millionaires who had successes in ground-breaking technologies that changed the world forever.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Mentors are just ordinary people who are a few steps ahead of you, in experience, knowledge and stage of life.
We are tapping on their past encounters to provide a clear and concise direction for ourselves.
It’s like them doing all the work for us, paving the way so that we don't have to waste time going through the unnecessary fluff.
They have been there, done that, and are now here to tell you why you should be doing this (instead of that).
There is knowledge in learning from your own mistakes.
BUT TRUE WISDOM COMES WHEN YOU INTENTIONALLY LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S MISTAKES.
And that is the job of the mentor - to show you why what they had tried did not work and why this way will be better.
More importantly, it makes you question your own beliefs, values and purpose in life.
Through their connections and experience, mentors can open doors and provide your children with access to new experiences and opportunities that they might not have been able to access on their own.
This helps your children broaden their horizons and explore new possibilities for their future.
3) Mentorship can help children clear the noise in their head and focus on what matters.
This is probably the biggest reason why our children need mentors.
Nothing is more frustrating for your children than not finding the answers they are looking for.
They can't do it because of this one reason:
THERE IS NO SPACE LEFT IN THEIR HEADS TO PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN THOUGHTS.
And it’s hardly ever their fault. The world around us is extremely noisy. Everything is calling for our attention.
Distraction is at its peak form today:
Media
Comparisons
Achievements
Cultural expectations
School homework & activities
Society's definition of success
People's opinions about you and your child
Distractions, misalignments and false truths.
They are always there to ensnare our children (and parents) from progressing.
This is where mentorship makes the biggest difference.
To reveal, clarify and amplify. To help your children develop a strong sense of self + confidence to pursue their passions. To throw out anything that doesn’t align with their values.
MENTORS ARE SEASONED FIGHTERS OF THIS BATTLEFIELD OF LIFE THAT HELP YOUR CHILDREN BREAK FREE FROM THESE CONSTRAINTS AND TO FOCUS ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS.
In this world, you cannot control what will happen in the future, but you for sure can control how you respond.
