Mentoring

Mentoring, what is it?

men·tor   /ˈmɛntɔr, -tər/ Show Spelled[men-tawr, -ter] Show IPA
–noun
1.a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
2.an influential senior sponsor or supporter.
–verb (used without object)
3.to act as a mentor: She spent years mentoring to junior employees.
–verb (used with object)
4.to act as a mentor to: The brash young executive did not wish to be mentored by

—Related forms
men·tor·ship, noun


—Synonyms
1. adviser, master, guide, preceptor.

So what does mentoring have to do with anything? In my job I have a mentor, but I think mentors are something everyone needs in their life; not just on the job. I am currently talking to a mentor about my manuscript and started realling thinking how important those mentors are in life.

One of my friends was telling me about her little cousin who is in middle school. Now by definition her cousin is one of those girls that would have been throwing stuff at me in middle school, so needless to say it was an interesting topic. But my friend was sitting at dinner with her cousin and her cousin was being an angsty teenager and pouting. But when Kelly took interest and just talked to her, her little cousin fully paid attention and actually headed her advice.

What does this mean?

I don't know about the rest of you, but from my experience in middle school, if your older cousin/sibling or even someone else at school was willing to help you out...you took that advice. I mean there can be amillion books about 'peer pressure' or 'helping teens,' and kid's parents can tell them whatever they want, but the truth it; they're not going to listen to most of it. But if a mentor takes them under their wing that's going to mean more to them than anything.

Who are your mentors? What are some profound words of wisdom that you have received?