If you’ve ever hiked up a mountain, it is no easy endeavor. There are easy parts and there are hard parts. Storms can pop up from time to time. Times of fun and times where you are challenged. But if you stick it out, the view is almost worth the struggle it took to get there.
One thing I know to be true about climbing a mountain is it is always easier when you do it with other people.
People can pick you up when you fall down. Can encourage you when you get tired. Can celebrate with you when you hit a check point. People who can champion you to do what you set out to do.
The same is true with mentoring. It’s always better when you do it with other people.
Mentoring alone is very difficult. Why? Because often times the “wins” in mentoring are few and far between. I have found that most mentors experience discouragement at some point in their mentoring journey.
And when discouragement hits, it’s usually downhill from there. A typical pattern may look something like this.
Get discouraged.
Start believing this isn’t working
Negative outlook or bad attitude
Stop pursuing
Relationship dissolves
But mentoring is all about persevering. It’s all about continuing to show up over and over and over. It’s about, like Jesus with us, overcoming the hard and being there for your mentee no matter what.
When you begin mentoring, it’s always a good idea to surround yourself with people who can help you on your mentoring journey.
Here are some potential key members of your mentoring tribe.
Organization (Church / non-profit / school)
- Best practices
- Create events to participate in
- Hold you accountable
Family
- Cheer you on and celebrate when good things happen with your mentee
- Help share the load, as they build relationships with your mentee
- Pray for your mentee
Friends
- Mentoring in a small group is an excellent way to team up to advance the Kingdom. You already live life together. Might as well do it on mission.
- Like having an assistant coach. Maybe they have expertise where you don’t.
- One more adult to look up to.
Your tribe can:
- Help you stay encouraged
- Speak truth when you are believing lies
- Create a safe place to vent about hard times
- Hold your proverbial mentoring arms up when they get tired like aaron did with moses.
- Give you new ideas on how to engage with your mentee or how to overcome an obstacle with your mentee.
- Help open up opportunities for your mentee
- Pray for you and pray with you.
- Champion you to stay in the mentoring game for the long haul.
- Provide respite if you have a difficult season or unforeseen circumstance pop up
Just like climbing a mountain, or going on any journey, is better with a tribe of people, mentoring for the long haul is easier when you are surrounded by people who love you and who are for you.
So find your tribe. Be open about your mentoring needs, opportunities, struggles, and victories. Share the load and allow others to hold your arms up when you get tired.
Mentoring is always better with other people.
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Contact us at zach@youcanmentor.com or at www.youcanmentor.com.
