
Life is an ongoing learning experience, with plenty of adventure along the way, and more than a little bit of trial and error, too.
Itâs impossible to ever completely predict the road ahead with perfect accuracy or to account for every variable youâre likely to encounter in life. But, in many cases â and in the case of new entrepreneurs in particular â you can illuminate the path to a surprising degree by seeking out mentorship on the way.
The importance of mentors is often spoken about by successful figures in business, as well as by successful commentators on productivity and self-improvement. And many of them also make the point that, especially today, âmentorsâ donât even have to be people we meet up with face-to-face. You could just as easily get some âmentorshipâ by reading good books on your industry, by keeping up with professional blogs such as Kris Duggan’s blog, and by following e-courses.
Here are a few reasons why you really should seek out mentors when starting out as an entrepreneur.
Because itâs really difficult (and futile) to try and reinvent the wheel
As human beings, we naturally build on the foundations that we inherit, and thatâs how all technology and culture works and has worked since time immemorial.
As the old quote goes âif we are great, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants.â
The reality is, itâs really difficult and stressful to try and reinvent the wheel. And itâs completely futile, too, because itâs already been done.
In business, an almost inconceivable number of people have spent an almost inconceivable amount of money, and an almost inconceivable amount of time, refining and testing out different strategies, approaches, and systems.
Of course, you should certainly be open-minded to innovation, and shouldnât assume that everything is âset in stone.â But you should take advantage of the foundations that already exist, and build on them instead of trying to restart from the ground up.
Because your time and money are precious, and youâll waste both if you donât have a clear sense of direction
One of the primary reasons to seek out mentors on your entrepreneurial journey is because they can save you from the potentially fatal error of wasting your time and your money.
In business, the finances that you have available to invest are a major factor in your success, and thatâs just the way it is. However, itâs important to realize that your time is no less an essential resource â in fact, it may be more essential since you canât hoard it, or regain it when itâs lost.
As the popular book, âThe One Thingâ argues, our ability to be successful in any complex endeavor is largely down to our ability to use our time effectively, and focus in any given moment on the most important tasks and goals.
But if you donât have any mentors to guide you, there is no clear path of progression or an obvious direction to head in. Instead, all possibilities â even the vaguest â seem viable, and you can easily spend years spinning your wheels without making any tangible progress.
Because success leaves clues
The fundamental reason why mentors exist, and why people seek them out, is because âsuccess leaves clues.â
When other people have achieved the things you want to achieve in your professional life, their particular strategies and paths may have been quite different from yours. But look carefully, and youâre bound to see that there are certain striking similarities in certain areas.
Mentors can help to point out those clues to you, so that youâre able to take the right lessons from them, and move forward effectively.
A mentor can help you to succeed either by showing you how they succeeded themselves or by recording and pointing out how others have succeeded before.
Because anything that can give you the edge over the competition is precious
Letâs say, hypothetically, that you donât strictly âneedâ a mentor in order to get started with your entrepreneurial business venture.
Okay. But would seeking out the services of a mentor, or mentors, give you any kind of an edge over the competition?
In the majority of cases, the answer is going to be âyes,â and thatâs a big deal. Because, in business, people will often go to extraordinary lengths to get even the smallest competitive advantage. So, why would you turn a competitive advantage down at the very onset of your career?