When you get deeper into your college career, there is a time when Cosmopolitan readers begin to read the career section with more interest – almost as much interest as we give the “love” sections. One of the key pieces of career advice that Cosmo recently suggested is to find a mentor, and they give a good argument. Finding a mentor can help you understand what you want to do, who to talk to, how to act, and what can be expected of you at your job. But this got me thinking…why stop looking for a mentor in just a career field? What if we focused on finding mentors for life in all aspects of our lives, such as the fields of love, religion, careers, or balancing life in general.
Mentors can come in many forms, and not always are the same gender as you. When it comes to spirituality or religion mentors can be the priest, reverend, or someone else focused on helping you discover your needs. We might not know what we want in terms of religion, but finding out what we do or do not like can help us grow as people: the main purpose of a mentor.
Typically mentors are older than you, as they have been through your own experiences already and have chosen paths to create the life they lead now. They can inspire you to achieve all you can academically or career-wise as any amazing mentor will, and can show you opportunities you did not know that you would be interested in, such as research opportunities or internships! The goal of a role model is to raise you up and make you strive to be all you can be. Role models can offer advice on friendship, love, or questions and ideas you might not necessarily feel comfortable asking others.
People have gravitated to celebrities to be their role models through quotes to put onto Facebook that can inspire others (JLaw any day), but having a role model means there is always someone in your life is that you can reach out to with the personal stuff, knowing you will get a focused, truthful opinion. Being a mentor is not something that can be put onto a resume, yet the person who chooses to mentor you puts their time and heart into helping you fulfill your potential even as they focus on the needs of others, which is why we should all consider being one.
Being a role model has to start somewhere, and often reaching out to younger siblings, friends, or others in the community can have a dramatic impact on their lives for the better. The ones we care for feel more loved, driven, and enthused knowing someone is on the sidelines rooting for them.
Being a mentor isn’t always easy, but it is extremely rewarding knowing you are often someone’s first call for help or advice with the knowledge that what you say has a profound impact on them and their choices. A great way to live your life is by judging whether or not you could be a proud mentor for someone, where you focus on raising others up! (To be your own mentor until you can find one) Role models are the ones that inspire us using cheesy quotes until we laugh, or hit us with the harsh truth that makes us question the path we’re on, and at the end of the day the reason we end up okay is because of the honesty with which role models provide us. They open up doors for us and knock our egos down a few pegs when we need it, but role models still light a fire in us to be the best at whatever it is we choose to do!
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