Today's blog is not about an Autodesk Product, feature, or cool workflow you came up with in the heat of a deadline. It isn't about all the troubleshooting tips, lunch and learn topics, or even about Autodesk in general. No, today's blog is about you as a Mentor, like it or not.
Many of us go through our day-to-day activities (work, sleep, play, etc.), trying to balance everything and hoping we don't drop the ball. Many of us try to learn new things, when we can, in the hopes of opening up new opportunities and dead brain cells we thought we didn't have. No matter what we do during the course of a day, a week, a year, whether we realize it or not, we are a mentor to someone.
Often, a mentor is thought of as a professional teacher or coach who has tons of years of experience and holds many awards, accolades, certifications, you name it. Though this is true for the most part, the reality of you as a mentor is already founded. You may be thinking...
- Who me? I am not "up there" with the "big dogs."
- How am I a mentor? I just do my thing (and secretly in my head hope no one notices my mistakes).
- What makes me a mentor?
- What have I contributed to others, society, etc?
To answer your questions, you are "up there" with the "big dogs." You are a mentor when you are "just doing your thing." What makes you a mentor is this...someone is always looking up to you! Someone out there is saying, "I wish I could be as good as that guy/girl." Someone out there is saying, "Look at him/her...they are awesome! I want to be like them!" You may not believe me, but it's true! The essence of who you are makes you a mentor. It isn't all the fancy awards and accolades (that's just verification). It's the ability for you to reach into someone's heart who needs you as a mentor. You are a mentor to everyone around you, near and far.
Believe in yourself! Know that you matter. Make a difference in someone's life by being you, by being helpful, by being kind, and by being loved. If an opportunity arises, take it! Challenge yourself to be better, to show yourself that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. This is the mindset of a mentor...this is your mindset.
We all need mentors in our lives. Someone who guides us. Someone whom we can look up to. Someone who isn't afraid to make mistakes, to fail, and to hurt. But, more importantly, someone who knows how to get back up and keep pushing forward. The best mentors are those who are willing to say, "I am human. I make mistakes." And then they get back up and keep improving. The best mentors foster growth in others. Not in the way the mentor wants...but in the way the student wants. The best mentors don't just give of themselves...they allow their students to grow naturally, inquisitively, and with direction.
So, as you go about your day, please remember that you are a mentor. You inspire others through your actions and words of encouragement. Be the best you can be so others can be their best. And whatever you do, do it with patience, grace, thoughtfulness, empathy and love.
Enjoy your day fellow mentors!!
