A good mentor regardless of whether it be in sports or business takes into consideration where you are in life, who you are in life, where you want to go in life, how realistic your goals are with respect to your skill level, and help quide you to reaching your goals.
A mentor is also there to help you work through the never ending set of challenges that will naturally make up the ups and down encountered on the journey.
The athletes I work with often get caught up in the technical aspects of their performance and focus on what it is they are not doing well rather than focusing on the process. Its wise for the performer to know where they are now, how well they are doing, and the importance of establishing a plan for where they want to go complete with strategies and objectives for getting them there. A mentor will bring you back to focusing on developing and sticking to an established plan of action.
A team of players whether it be in sports or business have two primary goals; (1) to get joy out of what they are doing, and (2) to perform well at what they are doing. However, if the team is made up of a group of individuals focused on individual achievement they may have challenges working toward the common goal. A team with a coach that has a team development plan with specific strategies and structure for going about reaching performance goals will more than likely have a better chance of success. Structure, discipline, solid coaching skills, and clear goal direction will give the team a purpose. A mentor can be the driving force behind this approach.
Finding the right person to be your mentor actually depends on your goals. First determine what is is you wish to accomplish and identify a timeline. Be specific about your 2-3 long term goals, honestly and objectively access your skill set in relation to your goals, and make a list of the roadblocks keeping you from reaching your goals. Armed with this information you now have a purpose and a fundamental idea for your mentor search.
If its a sports perfomance coach you seek (not a sports skill coach like a swing coach for golf, or a tennis pro for improving your backhand) you will define your search based on characterisitics associated with performance coaching. Performance improvement coaches will focus on helping you to establish a plan which might include finding a swing coach, but also will include providing guidance on the process and direction you might take in reaching your goals. They can serve as a great sounding board and a trusted advisor. Most importantly the mentor should come with the credentials and success illustrating their ability to teach and guide you in the areas you need to get stronger in. References of their past success will go a long way to reinforce credentials and their strengths at helping you get to where you want to go with your performance.
A mentor, unlike a coach (may have been a coach, or an athlete at some point) will have the experience of walking the walk or experiencing what it is you are experiencing. They know the pitfalls, roadblocks, politics, emotional challenges, and how to best cope with them. The mentor has knowledge of how to execute a plan, how to monitor a plan, how to track performance, what to coach and what to let go, and how to help you establish a process orientation that will lead to success.
Should you need help or guidance with finding a mentor please do not hesitate to contact me at jre@protexsports.com or inquire about my 12 week Mental Edge Performance Development and Tracking Program. This 12 week program is designed to mentor athletes through a process of goal creation, performance plan development and execution, and finally to monitor performance and build success.
http://www.protexsports.com/
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Cheers
John
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