There's an old adage that we should always be in the process of two things:
- Being a mentor for someone a couple steps behind us
- Being mentored by someone a couple steps ahead of us
Mentoring isn't about age, either. It's simply a person who is a couple steps ahead of you in any single area of life, that can help you avoid pitfalls that you might not otherwise be aware of. These areas could be health, career, marriage, investing, spirituality, raising kids, or even a hobby.
Personally, I find I am much more willing to look for a mentor in an area of life I want to improve in than I am seeking someone I can be a mentor for. Whether this is selfishness in wanting to focus on my own ambition or humility in not feeling I can be an effective mentor in anything, I'm not sure.
The reason being a mentee is important is that you are reminded what it's like to learn something new, too. You are reminded how tough change is. This is an invaluable asset as you mentor someone and witness them struggling on an area of your strength.
Take a moment today and think about how you could carve out time to mentor someone. Invite that friend to the gym with you, get a coffee with a young person in your industry, take a new married couple out on a double date, or even volunteer to lead a group at your church.
Help someone grow in an area of your strength today. You'll be really glad you did.