Over last weekend we had another mentorship session. We have successfully run it twice now, and generally made up our mind that this will be a monthly event (If you are interested, you can send a mail to topsiesuzie@gmail.com indicating your interest). It’s one of those meetings that you finish and reassure yourself again that there is nothing better to do, than to invest in the futures of others. I have always been a strong proponent of, whatever you make happen for others happens for you.
Another interesting thing about these mentorship sessions is that it has been a great learning experience for me as well. We go into them ready to pour ourselves out, but in the middle of the session where we ask questions and share experiences, we all learn. The key hightlight for me in this last session was, starting from where you are. Someone gave an example of what he was doing (I’ll change the someone to a name, if the person comments that I can divulge his name), and for me that was a great example of starting from where you are. You won’t move forward complaining about your circumstances and wishing for a better company, relationship, boss or environment. Within you lies the capacity to access what you want, but the door is not far away, it’s right there where you are.
“Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are IN THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.” – Prov 17:24
The particular example that was given was about this persons desire to become an accomplished public speaker. The work he presently does, does not involve public speaking, but by looking around and thinking he was able to see an opportunity in motivating his company’s drivers. Speaking with 90 of them on a weekly basis, he is well on his way to becoming an accomplished motivational speaker, because if he can motivate drivers, there is not much he won’t be able to motivate.
Quit whinning! The job you are doing may not be the one you want, you may indeed need to change, to move forward and ahead, but the pathway to the future is not to keep your head in the clouds and look to the ends of the earth for help. The best approach is to put on your opportunity spectacles and look at your present situation with fresh eyes. What can you do where you are to develop the skills for where you are going? What can you volunteer to be a part of? Your end of year party organizing committee? Your annual rethreat event management committee? Can you just dedicate 10mins of your launch time to hanging out with the drivers and cleaners? What do you really want to do, what are you passionate about? Are you certain there is no way to start where you are?
The way the world works is simple. Do what you have in your hand today well, and tomorrows job will come. If you do not demonstrate capacity to do more than you are presently given, who will commit more into your hands? One of my all time favourite films is -“The Recruit” (Go watch it) by Al Pacino. There is a key phrase he made there, that I think you should know, he said- “Everything is a test!”. If you see things like this, then you’ll make sure you give your best shot to everything that comes your way. That job you are doing is a test. To pass you need to start what you love in it. Will you pass? Start, from where you are!
