Mentoring a Legacy
The word mentor comes from the Odyssey. Ulysses put Mentor in charge of his son, Telemachus, while he was away at Troy. Mentor served as a guiding light to Telemachus, so now mentor refers to someone who imparts wisdom and provides guidance and encouragement to bring another’s talents and gifts forward.
Sometimes mentors choose their mentees, seeing someone who might benefit from their input and intentionally stepping in to provide that support in such a role. More often though, I think it happens in reverse: people see someone they are inspired by and then read information written by or about that person, attend workshops hosted by him or her or officially ask if he or she will mentor them.
In my case with Robert Dilts, I sought him out. I remember attending a training session he led in London almost 15 years ago about different ways people can be supportive, which was the basis of a book he published shortly afterwards, From Coach to Awakener. I’ve read all of his books at least once and some several times, often referring back to them over and over again. I’ve modeled a lot of my training after him.
During my recent mastermind group, Robert and I discussed mentoring. He said he wants to lean more toward mentoring now, and I acknowledged him for the direct and indirect support he’s given me over the years. I explained how much of a mentor he has been for me, noting how his work has been incredibly influential in my thinking. He’s been there to help my heart open up about several things.
Like Robert, I am also focusing more on mentoring. I have been thinking about the impact I want to make on the world, and for me mentoring is now about legacy. I want to help others discover who they are and what they want to be in the world. The difference between a legacy and an earlier vision is that the “younger you” wants to start a movement that’s going to change the world. Later you look for the next generation of leaders who will be able to continue changing the world in a positive way. My Coach Certification Training Program serves in this legacy mentoring capacity, allowing me to help bring forth another powerful generation of coaches.
I’m recognizing that people acknowledge my level of skill and my willingness to continue on my learning path, and they know they can benefit from that. Coaches such as Marcia Wieder have confided that they appreciate the wisdom age has given me. Similarly, participants in my high-level mastermind group have told me, “I always know that if I get stuck, I can come to you.”
So I am on this path willingly and already have several people who refer to me as a mentor. What is most true right now is how willing I am to accept that mantel. So ask yourself, “Am I at the right place in my life to seek out a mentor?” If your answer is a resounding “YES!” then reach out and ask. If you are inspired by someone, that’s always an indicator.
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I like to collect stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, let me know or post them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
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About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
