Discover Your Million Dollar Mentor.

Who is a Mentor?

A Mentor is an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time. The experienced in this definition is the mentor, and the less experienced (or in  experienced) is the protégé or mentee. The ‘experience’ which the Mentor shares with the protégé could be in a particular field of endeavour, a particular aspect of life or various fields or aspects of life. That’s why it’s instructive (as I’ll be discussing later) that the choice of who a protégé decides to mentor him or her must be somebody  (a mentor) among other things, in his/her field. The protégé enjoys the privilege of leveraging on the experience of the mentor to launch forth in life and destiny.
 
A Mentor is the prophetic picture of a protégé’s preferred future. A mentor is the ladder that takes a protégé higher. A mentor is the secret to a protégé’s extra-ordinary success. A mentor is the roadmap to the protégé’s destiny. A mentor  is a custodian of divine virtue, meant to enhance a protégé’s destiny value. A mentor is a coach, a goad, a teacher, a trainer, who schools a protégé into exploits and releases him/her into destiny. If you my dear reader must make a mark too difficult to erase in life and destiny, you  NEED a mentor.
 
What is Mentorship?

Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.
The person in receipt of mentorship may be referred to as a protégé (male), a protégée (female), an apprentice or, in recent years, a mentee.

Mentoring is a process that always involves communication and is relationship based, but its precise definition is elusive. One definition of the many that have been proposed, is:
Mentoring is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development;mentoring entails informal communication, usually face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a person who is perceived to have greater relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have less (the protégé).

Mentorship (or mentoring) is a destiny relationship where the mentor shares his/her wealth of experience with his/her mentee with respect to a particular aspect(s) of life or field(s) of endeavour. Through mentorship, a mentor out of  his wealth of insight, wisdom and experience tutors, helps to discover hidden talents of the mentee and nurture them into skills.
 
What Mentorship is not.

Mentorship is not imposition of authority, but an empowerment into authority by the submission of a mentee to a mentor. Until a protégé submits to a mentor, a Mentor has NO right of authority over a protégé, neither can he or she exercise same.
 
Locating and Securing Your Million Dollar Mentor-

The task of locating and securing a mentor is solely that of a protégé to embark on and not the other way round. It’s a protégé that searches out and chooses who he or she can submit to, to be mentored by. That person who he or she would be willing to submit to, by empowering him or her to have the right of authority over him or her and therefore have right to exercise same. 

The task of locating and securing a mentor by a protégé is one that should be done meticulously and never rashly or hastily. Those who rush into a relationship that’s meant to be a long term one, often rush out with regrets and heartaches. Mentorship relationship is a destiny influencing  relationship such that if care is not taken in how one chooses his or her mentor, the choice of a 'wrong' mentor can  adversely affect one's destiny. This is so vital, critical, and crucial because your mentor is a type of your destiny compass in human form. In addition, who you go with determines where you end. The question therefore is, what are those basic criteria you must consider in choosing your million dollar mentor or what basic qualities are  germaine to help you locate that mentor suited for your life and destiny?
 
Criteria to Consider in Choosing Your Million Dollar Mentor-

A- Locating-
Most and generally, it’s result(s) i.e the enviable or admirable success(es) or achievements of a particular individual in any field of endeavour or area of life that endears a potential mentee to a mentor. In all of human endeavours and societies all around the world, it is result (and not age ) that commands respect. So as you intend to locate your mentor, let his or her result(s), enviable track record(s), success(es) or inspiring achievements be what should command your respect and help you locate that suitable mentor for you. Putting it more in succinctly, while result or success, generally speaking in any aspect of life or field of endeavour  is a primary quality  of attraction to a mentor, there are other definite and more instructive qualities to look out for in helping you as a protégé locate your mentor.
 
1. Relevant Field -
“Birds of the same feather... “ they say: “flock together”. First and foremost , in locating your desired mentor, you’ve got to carefully seek out such an individual within your  field professionally, career, vision, assignment, business type, etc. Your preferred mentor should be engaged in what you are engaged in professionally. You can’t be a clothier (fashion designer) for instance and your preferred mentor is a musician. It won’t work- lest you begin to “sing your designs”. Career, profession, business etc. compactibility is non-negotiable if you must make the most of mentorship relationship with your mentor. A man can’t give what he does not have. Since your sole purpose of needing a mentor is to have somebody who has treaded the path you’re treading or intend to tread in your career, business, ministry, vision, relationship etc. to guide you, instruct you, lead you, encourage you, motivate you, inspire you and help you get better in your chosen career, field, business etc. it’s only wise to seek out that individual within your field. It is in your field that he or she can lay claim on any experience that will be relevant for your mentoring professionally.
 
2.​Success in that Field -
There is a very instruct proverb of the “Yorubas” (the Yorubas hail from the western part of Nigeria in West Africa), that says: “It’s the gliding strides of the preceding horse that determines that of the upcoming one”. How apt? If your mentor is supposed to be a model for you to learn from, it’s therefore a predictive certainty that if you choose a mentor who’s a failure, regardless of whether he or she is in your field, you’re bound to fail!   (That will not be your lot).  It’s therefore instructive to note that you must not just choose a mentor in your field but also one that has made a success of that career, profession, business, ministry etc. you intend to mentor after. Ancient wisdom opines that… “Out of a bitter tree a sweet fruit can’t spring forth….” and….”by their fruits…..we shall  know them…”. Every mentee being mentored by his or her mentor is (in the ultimate) a fruit of his or her mentor. So if all your preferred mentor  has to offer is a track record of ‘beautiful failures’ never expect to be instructed, guided, inspired, motivated or mentored to succeed by such an individual in your career, business, trade, professional etc.  Simply put, never choose a failure as a mentor lest you fail like him or her.
 
3.​Progressive Success-
26 years ago, my father bought a brand new model Peugeot 505 saloon car. It was his fourth car at that time. Waoh! It sparked an ecstatic celebration in our family. A couple of weeks ago I saw the same type of my then Dad’s car being driven along the road, the sight of it got me amused and disgusted. Not because perhaps it was a rickety looking one? No, but I couldn’t identify with the glory, splendour, ambience, prestige and elegance I saw with the same car 26 years ago.

 In 2011 if  top 10 luxury cars are to be mentioned, I can assure you that  this car won’t get the honour of a mention. Why so? Auto discrimination? I don’t think so. Simple, yesterday’s excellence is today’s standard. What was celebrated yesterday is tolerated today. Those who are not updated would soon be outdated. It’s not enough for your preferred mentor to be in your relevant field, be successful in that field, career, profession, if his or her success is not progressive he or she would soon be outdated. You don’t wanna follow such a person. Your mentor is your leader who should always be ahead of you in result, success, exploits, so as to be able to always command your respect and inspiration.

Please don’t forget that it is result and not age or longevity that commands respect. Your mentor must be somebody who must always be able to command your respect and it is through his or her constantly progressive success that he or she will be able to do that. Moreover, if he or she is not progressive in his or her success, as long as you stick to his or her leadership, you can’t be better yourself, you are stalked. So please note.
 
4.​Integrity -
As your mentor shares with you his or her time, insight, foresight, experience etc. meant to help you move to greater heights in your field, you are bound not just to be impacted by him or her but also IMPARTED by him or her. Beyond skills and expertise that you’ll acquire through your interraction (even though you are a different individual in your own respect and mentorship is NOT designed to make you a clone of your mentor) even at that there are certain behavioural traits of your mentor that you’ll unconsciously and effortlessly begin to exhibit. 

This is so because mentorship is beyond sharing your mentor’s experience to better you, but ultimately impartation of the grace he or she bears. This is why one vital trait such as integrity is one you must be sure the one you desire to mentor you has. It is said: “Show me your friend and I’ll tell you who you are.” If you never used to lie and you follow a liar as a mentor, it’s only a matter of time you may soon begin to claim you saw white when actually it was black you saw. 

Why is integrity so vital? Integrity is the whole essence of a being no matter the degree of success, result or achievement a person has in any field. No matter how noble that field is, his or her success amounts to little or nothing if he or she lacks integrity. Commenting on him or her you’ll hear things like:(Let’s imagine that he or she is “Z” by name) "Oh! Mr. Or Miss Z is most qualified for this job considering his or her intimidating and impressive resume but he or she lacks integrity”. What a destiny stumbling block? Integrity. It is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Integrity is the perfect alignment of your thoughts, words and actions. Integrity says it  and does it. How do you know if you have integrity? When you say it, do you do what you promised to do? How beit, integrity is associated with positive or right actions. So you can’t say integrity is doing what you promised to do and associate it with negative actions or derogative intentions or deeds. Integrity in your mentor or anybody at all and including you my dear reader breeds trust in you, from those who relate or associate with you. Integrity breeds reliability and confidence of people in an individual.
 
5.​Spiritual Compatibility- 
Ancient wisdom inquires… “Can two work together except they be agreed?…” In other words there can’t be a relationship (such as mentorship) without compatibility. And the highest form of compatibility that governs every other compatibility  is spiritual compatibility. The spiritual is superior to the physical. Nothing appears physically that did not first exist in the spirit. So if you and your preferred mentor must succeed in your mentorship relationship, spiritual compatibility is non-negotiable. 

 I often assert without sentiments during sessions in mentorship classes with mentees that “Mentorship is essentially and fundamentally a spiritual union.” It transcends any other form of relationship in mentorship that may be  physical. Mentorship is NOT a man-made relationship design, but a God-instituted relationship, designated to transfer His grace upon one vessel to another or others from one generation to another for the purpose of the furtherance of His divine will and agenda for that generation. 

No matter how endowed a gentleman or lady is by reason of how God created him or her and no matter how enviable a destiny God has for him or her, God has still designed that mentorship  is one very potent key by which such an individual will make the most of his or her destiny.  I speak experientially. If so true therefore, in addition to relevant field, success in that field, progressive success and integrity, spiritual compatibility is fundamentally important for a most rewarding mentorship relationship.

Please remember that life is all about the choices we make every now and then. We are what we are today, where we are today and how we are today based on the choices we made 'yesterday', professionally, financially, emotionally, maritally and spiritually. So in the choice of your 'destiny compass'- (preferred) million dollar mentor, mind how you choose. I hope you will find the suggestions above helpful.

Now that you know how to discover your million dollar mentor, in the next edition  I hope to share with you on how to secure your mentor, having located  the one you believe is divinely designed to guide you through destiny, relating  with your mentor…etc. 

You’ll not fail! You’ll arrive at destiny in grand style. Your story shall soon be dubbed as a breaking news. You shall excell beyond your wildest imagination. It’s your turn! 

Much Ado About Your Need For Mentorship.

Studying the lives of a great many significant mavericks, icons, heroes, legends, male, female, black white, dead and living, some amongst them, my mentors, I have come to learn that as the ever present and healthy challenges of life constantly foist on us the frictions of life, it may be easy to answer the question of “What?” What you hope to achieve, what you feel like eating, what you hate to do, what places you dream to travel to etc. However, in the nomadic journey of life one question that many of us find challenging to answer, yet life keep demanding of us at every turn is the question “Why?” Why do you hope to achieve what you pant after day and night? Why do you feel like eating what you desire to eat? Why do you hate to do what procrastination has been robbing you of? “Why?!” “Why?!!” “Why?!!!”  I discovered that the significant mavericks, icons, heroes, legends that I studied answered through their lives not just the question of “What?” but much more importantly “Why?” and this made them generational celebrities today and perhaps for a long time to come. I strongly hold that he who knows “what”, gets the job. He who knows “why” becomes his boss!
Having answered the question of “What?” in the first series of this article, learning that mentorship is one gold-mine secret to extra-ordinary success that is grossly undertapped, now we need to learn and answer the begging question “Why?”

WHY DO YOU NEED A MENTOR?
In the philosophical assertions of one of the mavericks recognised above, he said : “Many think I am smart because of my exploits, if I’m seeing any further, it is because I’m standing on the shoulders of those who have gone ahead of me.”  You and I need the shoulders of mentors to see further into our future. You need a mentor to tap into higher levels of grace for unimaginable exploits. You need a mentor because he or she is a ladder by which you can climb higher and into the height of your future, career, profession, vision, assignment, business, destiny and even your relationship (marital).

It may be interesting to note that there is no aspect of life that you will not need a mentor to outstandingly excel, with fewer struggles, mistakes, sweats, failures and regrets etc. You need a mentor because a mentor is the secret to extra-ordinary success. He or she has learnt by experience, to attain the present success he or she enjoys, but a protégé or mentee who has submitted to the tutelage of a mentor, learns by instruction from the mentor’s experience. That’s why I differ from the time-worn out saying that: “experience is the best teacher”. I hold that that instruction is the best teacher. Why? To learn by experience is often bitter, but to learn by instruction is often better. One of my mentors, many years ago, had a unique experience that explains this. Today, he is one of the leading and globally renowned authorities on the subject of Financial Success and an author of quite a number of volumes on the same subject. It is however interesting to know that he did not arrive at this Eldorado of financial success by ‘cheap talk’ for talk is cheap. Real and lasting success in any aspect of life requires hard work!

Many years ago when he was poorer than a broken penny, he hated his state of lack and desperately sought a way out of this abyss of dehumanisation. He desperately yearned to know what it takes to become outstandingly successful financially. His desperation drove him into a three day personal research of some strange sort, armed with books of other authors on financial success. At his retreat resort in a thick dark forest, with only a torch light as his only source of electricity, beaten by rain and threatened by a dangerous snake in his three days sojourn, he refused to retreat till he made the discovery of what he desperately went for-the secrets of financial success.
Today from that ‘bitter’ experience he came away with secrets that has helped him over the years to crawl out of the dirt of the heap of poverty and over the years has taught millions including me at conferences, seminars, through his books, DVDs all across the world as he still does. Today, he is a notable voice on this subject globally. I believe you will agree with me that that gruesome experience my mentor had was nothing but a bitter one. Today as his protégé, to tap into his insight on the same subject, I don’t need three nights in a bush, a threatening rain, or a scary snake. All I will require to learn from his experience through his live seminars, DVDs or books is a couple or 3  hours, as against his own 3 days , with legs leisurely crossed behind my office desk ,under a cool and calm air conditioned atmosphere. Juxtaposing these two scenarios, you will agree with me that my mentor learnt by experience which was bitter, I learnt by instruction from his own experience, which is better. Indeed instruction and not experience is the best teacher.

Why do you need a mentor? You need a mentor whose experience will save you time, energy, resources, loses, pain  etc. achieving the same or possibly a better result in the same career, life or destiny in a shorter while. You need a mentor like Mentuor in my first series of this article to help you shape and sharpen your talents like he did that of Telemikus.

My dear reader, as I attempt to close the second series of You Need A Mentor, please permit me to share with you my favourite thought on this all relevant subject-Mentorship.

“If you know where you are going, your journey is short. If you know how to get there, your journey is shorter. If you know who has gotten there, your journey is shortest. If you are WILLING to SUBMIT to who has got there by apprenticeship, and he or she is WILLING to take you on by mentorship, you are there!”

 This philosophy of mine has guided every action and step I take in my personal and professional life till date. Owing to this, I can only remain indebted to providence for my steadily growing significance in my personal and professional life.
Life, career, business, relationship and destiny can be sweet for you, if you will sign up today and always to menmtorship. There’s a path you are treading today in destiny that someone has treaded and made a monumental success of it, seek out this personality and take a destiny-giant-leap from obscurity to notoriety. Your wilderness journey of 40 years can be shortened to 4 years. Many have rejected this age long land mark secret to sweat less success, and unending progress and shipwrecked their destinies. Yours will not be so! You shall get to destiny in grand style! You will not fail! You will make a mark in this generation too difficult to erase!

I hope to share with you in the next series who a mentor is in the true sense of it, as opposed to the wrong notion from misleading sources. I’ll also share with you how to locate and secure the right mentor, because there are some TORMENTORS in mentors’ clothing, BEWARE!

You Need A Mentor.

A Greek warrior-god, leading a consortium of warriors from a score of neighbouring homogenous settlements, was to embark on a war against the renowned Trojans of Troy. He had to inevitably seek a surrogate trainer in his stead to groom his barely five year old son, whom he would have groomed into manhood by himself as the custom stipulates, but for the war he was embarking on.

This surrogate trainer he found in one of his kinsmen loyalists; the seasoned Mentuor, who was renowned for his art and skill in grooming lads into manhood. Odysseus at his departure put Telemikus in care of Mentuor for grooming into manhood till he returns. This grooming includes all that a lad needs to learn in terms of knowledge about life, self-reliance, the art of war, being a man, leadership etc.

For the period of 15 - 20 years that the war lasted, Mentuor, out of his wealth of insight, skill, art, and experience, like a potter would a clay pot, moulded, tutored, discovered hidden talents which he nurtured into skills and imparted Telemikus with all that makes for the 'TOTAL MAN'.

At his return, Odysseus was not to receive back once infant, innocent, frail, naive son of his anymore, but a full grown man, who had become knowledgeable in various aspects of life, self-reliant, intelligent, full of experiential knowledge, skilful, valour in the art of war, one that had started commanding the uncommon respect of the old, young and his peers alike. That was the Telimikus Odysseus received at his return. Many thanks to Mentuor.

That was centuries ago, according to the Greek custom at the time. But in our fast paced world of today, this age long land mark path of bringing youngsters into manhood or maturity has been largely jettisoned or considered outdated or archaic and hence not subscribed to. Little wonder therefore, many youngsters have made a shipwreck of their glorious destinies and subsequently their future. This can't but be so because when youngsters disregard the ancient wisdom that says: "Remove not the ancient land mark, which thy fathers have set". They can't disregard this saying and not suffer its consequences. There's a syndrome plaguing many youngsters in our generation today that I call the 'self-made syndrome'. Many youths are under the 'spell' of egocentrism. The passionate quest of many youths today to get to the 'top' in their career, trade, business, assignment, vision, ministry (which though not bad, but sadly), is all for ONE purpose,''...to make for themselves a NAME and FAME'', without submitting for grooming in the hands of one with hands-on  knowledge of the career, trade or business they are in, someone with meaningful and enviable results, in their field that they can benefit from. In terms of wealth of insight, wisdom, experience and clout which would cut short their learning curve. Rather, many today are seeking to be made alone, all by themselves. But ironically, THERE IS NO SELF-MADE MAN!

The self-made syndrome is a self-destruct syndrome, because nobody goes far doing it ALONE! Lone rangers die in lone ranges. There is no assignment, vision, career, profession, ministry, business, etc. that one has received alone that one can achieve ALONE. Why? Because there is no assignment that God gives to a man alone that he can achieve ALONE! One is limited doing it alone! Someone sees what one doesn't see. Someone knows what one doesn't know. It is said that every great man or woman is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, which makes 100% manifestation (Greatness). Great! We can therefore deduce that greatness is the summation of inspiration and perspiration. It's important to note that it is inspiration that precedes   perspiration. Inspiration is the foundation for every perspiration. Until one is inspired, one cannot perspire. If true, it therefore means that you need inspiration from someone else's thoughts, actions, results (in your kind of business, life, destiny, profession, career, assignment etc.) to access perspiration, for your manifestation.

No matter your intelligence, brilliance, talents, wits, dedication, discipline, etc. in your chosen career, field, profession, or received calling, assignment(s), vision, ministry, you need to be inspired by someone who has gone ahead of you in your field and succeeded and is still succeeding outstandingly,( because success is not a destination but a journey). This is why I suggest to you that "YOU NEED A MENTOR".