January is National Mentoring Month, so there’s no better opportunity to thank all the mentors in my life, and to refocus on how I can share the great lessons and examples I gained from them. I’ve been blessed in my life and career to meet with and do work for the likes of Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. From them, there’s no doubt, I learned a ton. But the people I learned from the most in life and in business are the less obvious mentors. My kid sis DoraLynn and my mom got me to redefine the concept of assets and liabilities. My Grandpa Nick taught me how to keep focusing forward and not dwelling on things in the past that you can’t control. The Espinoza family showed me how to get beyond the false limitations we place, or let others place, on ourselves. The list goes on …
In addition to thanking the mentors in your life this month, let’s go one step further. Identify some people in your life – children, new hires at work, etc. – who need some mentoring. And then provide it. Maybe you don’t see yourself as some wise sage who can pull something like that off. Well, you don’t need to be. You just need to be yourself in front of them and be honest to them about your experiences, both positive and negative. I promise you, they will catch on. And maybe in, say, January 2015, you’ll be reading their blog post … about you.
Visit www.nationalmentoringmonth.org to learn more about how you can thank and be a mentor.