I never would be where I am today without some very wise mentors around me, guiding me along my path.
Likewise, few of them would be where they are without their own mentors. It is an obligation to play that we pay it forward.
Here’s who you need behind you during the crazy ride we call life.
The 8 Mentors You Need
The Coach
He/she is there to help you with the day-to-day blocking and tackling. As one of my mentors put it, “Your mind is like a bad neighborhood, you shouldn’t spend too much time there alone.”
The Cheerleader
He/she is there to keep you going through the hard times. Or as Winston Churchill once stated, “if you’re going through hell, keep going.”
The Challenger
He/she will push you beyond what you preserve are your physical and mental limits.
The Connector
He/she is a networking superstar who thrives on making connections. They will introduce you to their network without strings attached.
The Educator
He/she is the wise old sage who gives you the tools to continue learning because learning is the true work of a lifetime.
The Idea Generator
He/she is the one you drink beer with and work out your million-dollar idea on the back of a bar napkin.
Pro Tip: always carry a pen in your pocket.
The Relationship Expert
Even if you’re a relationship blogger, you’re probably going to experience some serious shit in your romantic, family, and friendships. It helps to have someone you can call on that has seen this movie before.
The Spiritual Guru
Arguably the most important.
David Foster Wallace, my favorite modern author, once suggested that in the day-to-day trenches of adult existence, there is no such thing as atheism. We all worship. Whether it be JC or Allah, the Four Nobel Truths or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, the fact is that anything else you worship will eat you alive.
Worship money or power, and you will never have enough.
Worship your intellect and you will die feeling stupid.
Worship your body and your sexual allure, and years after you age you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you.
It’s not that these are bad, it’s just that they are your default setting. If you really want to understand happiness you need to find your moral compass and never deviate too far from it.
If you learn to truly love others and put them before yourself and carry that out day after day after month after year, you will find happiness and success that goes well beyond financial prosperity.
A Letter to a Young American
For those just starting out, I’d advise you to learn from my mistakes. Begin by reading A Letter To A Young American and get a head start on your own professional development.
