How to find a Mentor

‘But Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God’ (Ruth 1:16).

One of the most valuable assets your career can have is a good mentor. The Billion dollar question is how do you find or choose a mentor. A mentor/ protégé relationship can be initiated by either of the two but it is more often initiated by the protégé. Below are testimonies of three people about their mentors. The first Protégé states, ‘I know the value of mentoring. I have had several mentors in my career, and i treasure them all. My mentors have given me wisdom, encouragement and direction. They have propelled my success and continue to influence me to this day. They are my inspiration and I would do anything in the world for them.’

The second says ‘I have had mentors that I've had lunch with, one's that I've house sat for, some that I just read about and even a few I just follow on the internet,…they are adding value to my life …’ The third says ‘my mentors are people I just "clicked" with upon first meeting them. A mentor does not have to be anyone famous but they do have to have whatever you lack and are willing to share. 

One of the keys to getting a mentor is service. The Bible has countless examples of protégés that got the favor of their mentors through service. Like Ruth to Naomi or Elijah to Elisha. Through service your mentor’s anointing rubs off on you. The key is humility; this is someone’s story of how he approached His mentor. ‘I wrote my mentor and asked what I could do to help them. Once I was in their space, I just asked them every question I could. I know they probably thought I was so "green" but they were happy to share and impart their wisdom. You can also get mentored by buying all of the products and participating in all of the programs that a mentor has.  I have found that as I "studied" a certain mentor, I began to really know them’. It is said that ‘the secret to having a good mentor is be willing to give before you get. The more you put into the relationship - the more you will get out of it.

Characteristics of a good mentor or things to look for in a mentor include:

1.  Experience: Mentors are typically older, but that is not a rule.

2.  Character: Your mentor should be a person that you respect and admire.

3.  Similar Goals: Find a mentor that has goals similar to yours.

4.  Availability: It helps when a mentor is available for interaction. It can be great to have a really successful person mentoring you, but if they aren’t available to meet, your relationship is limited.

5.  Open-mindedness: You need a mentor that is open-minded. This will allow you to progress in a way you need to progress, not necessarily in the way the mentor would prefer.

6.  Caring: We all want people to think what we’re doing is important especially our mentor. A mentor needs to care about your success just as much as you do.

7.  Focus: You want a mentor who is able to not only focus on you and what you would like to achieve, but also help you focus.

8.  Believes in You: A mentor needs to believe in your potential.

9.  Openness and Honesty: A mentor/protégé relationship is most beneficial when you can both share experiences and bits of information that a normal acquaintance wouldn’t know about you. Openness and honesty also help build credibility and trust between the mentor and protégé.

(Source: http://happinessisbetter.com/2009/03/30/10-things-to-look-for-in-a-mentor). 

Finally, remember that what you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. Elisha, the protégé of Elijah accomplished twice what his mentor accomplished, because of the double portion of anointing he received from him. Interestingly, during the transfiguration it was not Elisha but Elijah his mentor who appeared together with Jesus and Moses (Luke 9:28-36). God honors and rewards faithful mentors.