Everyone Needs a Mentor

Everyone needs a mentor.  There are benefits of having a mentor.  Jesus Himself mentored 12 disciples.  He spent time with the twelve than He did with His other disciples and those who followed Him.  Perhaps, if you are struggling with personal goals, career or life goals, you should think of eliciting a mentor.

So who is your mentor? Have you considered one?

Whether as an individual or organisation, everyone need mentors, truly we all do. We did and do! Defying Mental Illness have been and are mentored as an organisation by Lift Effects.  

Through the mentorship guidance of Lift Effects, Defying Mental Illness has taken and is taking the message of mental illness with gusto and with a difference. Being under the wings of an acclaimed organisation such as Lift Effects whose motto is to lift and transform is indeed a ‘lifting’ privilege for us. Sandra Nelson, the founder of Lift Effects, recently said these words of our website, ‘The amount of work that has gone into this website is phenomenal. I am amazed at the volume of work that has gone in. Please share to create awareness!’

Well as you can imagine, that is definitely a profound, straight to the point, testimonial. We were certainly excited about the words – phenomenal and amazed. Wouldn’t you? Then get a mentor and you will have something to shout about too!

So why is it that everyone needs a mentor?   Here are 5 convincing points:

#1  Development

A good mentor is interested in your development. Your success is their success. Mentors look for ways to develop and foster your talents, gifts, skills and creativity. Mentors want their mentees to fulfil their purpose, achieve their dreams and accomplish their goals.

Jesus selected all manner of different walks of life for His disciples – the educated, uneducated, the uncouth, the polished, the rough, the smooth, the respected and the so called ‘scum’ of society.   At the end of His three year mission, each had developed their potentials. (Let’s  not consider Judas at this point – the one that broke ranks and developed his talents in a smart but negative way. Judas is a blog for another day!).

#2   Relationship Building

A good mentor builds trust and develops relationships. You must be able to say you can depend on your mentor. That you can trust their judgement.  One of the great benefits of good mentorship is impartial advice, independent feedback and oodles of encouragement. You also can get exposed to their networking circles and their contacts too.

#3  Confidence Building

Having a mentor will improve your confidence. Launching out as an organisation or embarking on something new as an individual can be a daunting task. You may seem like a tadpole among the whales. Mentees need someone applauding them, cheering you to continue the race, not to give in but to run the course.

#4  People who are Mentored Stay Longer in the Race

When we are mentored we stay on the ‘job’ longer. There is more staying power. Truly, everyone needs a mentor because then we are not so quick to give up on our goals. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9 ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up’

#5  Peer Mentoring can Help with Recovery

Having a mentor that helps you through a challenge such as mental illness, traumatic situations, or other devastating challenges in life, can definitely help put you on the path to recovery. 

Peer mentors are people who have been through similar challenges as yourself.  You may feel more comfortable talking to someone who understands/empathises with you from a ‘common ground’ perspective.  There is less inhibitions or trying to prove yourself.  You may feel less intimidated and not feel pressured to measure yourself up to someone ‘better’.  

Peer mentoring provide positive influences and bear testimonials that there is always light in the darkest tunnels of life.   Consider peer mentorship in your school, university, church (e.g. join a church home group).

If peer mentoring sounds like something that rocks your boat, then you can also get in touch with us.   Go to the Contacts page and drop us a line. We will be only to happy to hear from you.

So in closing, we would be happy to hear how mentoring has benefited you.   Another time, we will look at coaching.   Yes, we have been coached too.   And there are differences between mentoring and coaching.

Till next time, stay blessed!

About The Author

Zoe

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness. They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness. In the 18th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness. A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS. The consultant was so amazed by Chuck’s astonishing recovery that he even questioned how Chuck was diagnosed with mental illness all those years before, in the first place! Today Chuck is free from medication, its dependency and hospitalizations. Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS, chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey. Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver, clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.

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