Maybe the fear of stepping outside your comfort zone has held you back financially or on a personal level. The journey of life does not come with a handheld manual. It is about making mistakes and having the ability to adapt, no matter the social climate or environment around you.
The Importance of Guidance
As children, many of us scoffed at the idea that mom would tell us to clean our room. We loathed at the idea of taking the trash out or raking the leaves when we would much rather join our friends for fun on a Saturday.
But then came college. As we gazed around our dorm room, covered in pizza boxes and last week’s laundry, we finally understood what mom and dad were trying to instill in us this whole time. We were totally embarrassed to have our new boyfriend or girlfriend see this awful mess we lived in. It was a rude awakening, but we finally understood the first steps of adulting.
As time marches on, it is so particularly important to find someone who can instill that similar adulting message that our parents tried to teach us as kids. It might be about taking that new job across the country which pays less. Or maybe it is conquering your fear of long plane rides to experience what the world has out there for you. The point is, having a mentor to open your mind to new experiences is a gift that can help define who you want to become.
It is Not Just About Technology and Finances
Bill Gates is synonymous with Windows, PCs, and, of course, the pinnacle of financial success. Some of us know about the story of growing Microsoft from an Albuquerque garage with Paul Allen. The development of software for the Altair 8800, an early personal computer, was the brainchild and result from the duo in those early years. It had to start somewhere and where better than a rented garage?
Having taken the dream and made it reality by the late 1980s, Gates was able to claim Microsoft as the world’s largest personal computer software company. Despite opposition from the likes of Apple, Google, and IBM, Gates has accepted the challenge, only to benefit beyond imagination.
The inspiration from Gates can be seen far beyond personal computer software and hardware evolution. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with assets reportedly valued at more than $34.6 billion (fundsforNGOs), has been responsible for supporting multiple areas of public health across the globe.
The philanthropy and his personal donations ranging from global sanitation to seeking advanced treatments for Alzheimer’s disease extend far past the branding of Microsoft.
How Does Gates Relate to Mentorship?
Whether being known as the face of Microsoft, being worth in excess of $115 billion, or being a mega-philanthropist, there is no doubt that Gates is a perfect example of stepping outside the box to conquer goals and dreams set forth.
Gates is just one example of what being a mentor really is about. It is treading into the unknown without someone physically guiding you to the next point. He is a story about having a vision without necessarily having been gifted financial means for the garage business to become an instant investment success. He is about hard work, dedication, never running away from a challenge, and always surrounding himself with bright minds and a high work ethic.
But Bill Gates does not have to be YOUR mentor. It might be a top Hollywood actor or actress, the NBA’s most talented superstar, or someone who has helped make a difference for all of mankind. Or maybe it is the neighbor next door.
There are no rules for finding a mentor. There is just the ability to personally relate to that somebody and to find that they are the guide in your life adventure. No one should be left to navigate on their own. Finding someone who can help make you understand the idea(s) you might not be able to see on your own is not a weakness but a great gift. He or she might be the very key to your own happiness and success.