Protege to Mentor

How does that happen?

One minute you are a student, a protege, someone who is learning. Then all of a sudden someone asks you to show them something. Then a little something more. All of a sudden you realise you have become a mentor.

It is you who is leading others, showing them the ropes. Helping them to learn what  you didn't know not so long ago. I love that about life. The ability to be a few steps behind someone and yet a few steps ahead of someone else…able to pass on what you have learnt.

I like to think of it more like little children playing on stepping stones in the stream of life than the proverbial business ladder.

When you are working with others, you are all on those many stones of experience. Some are just  further out in the stream, those with more experience who are willing to go where it is deeper. They are reaching back to help those behind them. Then there is someone else who is closer to the shore, maybe just stepping out of their depth. They can move onto another stone, going around you if needed, while you learn where you are at.

On the culturally accepted norm of "the ladder to success" you are climing your way up. Which in itself is fine. We all need to have the top in mind when aiming for our goals.

However it presumes that  you have to go past the person ahead of you to get to the top. Look at the ladder and the others climbing it…somone is usually in the way. You are pulling at their heels to move past them, and in the process you are stepping on the head of someone else …who is trying to pull you back.

I am extremely thankful to be involved in EahLive.com with both mentors and protege's who want to help each other. If you are looking for that kind of community…where everyone is willing to help someone else, not for what they can get but for how they can help you, then you have found it.

Helping others help themselves…

Sharyn!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Who needs to reply to Timon…