What I learned

Lessons learned through Mentoring

                Amongst the many things I learned through my mentoring experience, I found the most profound to be that in the process of trying to improve the life of another individual, I ended up discovering ways to improve myself at the same time. One way in which this took place was through the advice I would provide for my Mentee. This advice was heavily laced with the words of my parents, grandparents, teachers, and other influences. And while the words may have appeared to be for his benefit alone, I constantly questioned whether or not this was advice that I myself followed. On the occasions when it was not, I put forth the effort to correct that. So in the process of molding my Mentee into a stronger, more insightful individual, I was reevaluating my own daily actions and decisions. I have found that having been placed in a position of influence on an impressionable individual forced me    to turn a critical eye on myself, and this process has led to a considerable amount of growth on my part.

I have also learned that when involved in a mentoring relationship, it is important to keep in mind that small successes carry monumental significance. Change tends to occur in small (sometimes hardly unrecognizable) doses, but it is important to keep faith in what may seem minute. For example, one of my fellow Mentors initially had trouble connecting with her Mentee due to gender and racial differences. However, one day she had the idea to take him to play catch, and that small decision forever changed their relationship. The activity allowed them to discover common ground, and since then her Mentee has found it easier to open up   to her, and she was found more ways to positively influence his life.

We as a class have also learned that it is crucial to believe in your impact as a Mentor. Often, the position of Mentor can be a frustration one, but it is important to remain focused on what you have achieved as opposed to what you hoped to achieve. It is impossible to change every aspect of a person’s life, as there are countless other influences upon a person in this world, but to be able to achieve even the smallest change can have a greater effect than you as a Mentor could ever conceive.