Tag Archives: mentors

Nothing taught by force stays in the soul

Posted on by

“Nothing taught by force stays in the soul.”

—Plato, ancient Greek philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Christopher Ryan

Who were the teachers, mentors, coaches, and family members who had the most positive influence on you while growing up?

How did their lessons and good examples open up your soul to their wisdom, to become an integral part of your personality and character?

How did their kindness and care for your best interest help you remain an open book to guide your current pursuits and project?

EXERCISE:

How often do an open mind and open heart accompany each other?

Where and how can this idea open the souls and minds of others you intend to support and serve?

Role models and mentors are flesh and blood representations of what is possible for you

Posted on by

Role models and mentors are flesh and blood representations of what is possible for you. If they did what they did, you can too.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Eunice De Guzman

In the world of achievement there are plenty of examples of people who have been there and done that. We often view and imbue these people with super-human powers and abilities, and see ourselves as frail and flawed.

When we see people this way, we are almost always missing the full picture.

These individuals stumble and fall like the rest of us. They bleed, they have wounds and scars that often go hidden. What many of them do better and more often is pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and go at it again and again.

EXERCISE:

Interview some of the role models and mentors you’ve had over the years. Pay particular attention to how they managed various types of adversity to become the people you’ve come to respect and admire.

“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”

Posted on by

“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”

—Authors Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

Photo from Flickr by General Mills

Photo from Flickr by General Mills

My dad coached a number of sports teams as part of his role as a physical education teacher. When I was a boy, I sometimes had breakfast with him before his games. The only thing he would eat on game days was Wheaties — the “Breakfast of Champions.”  Call it however you want it, his team almost always won.

I wanted to be a champion like my dad, so I dove into those cereal bowls with great gusto!

EXERCISE:

Who are the mentors, advisers, and coaches that are committed to your success? How can you fully ingest their feedback to achieve your own personal or professional championships?