Last week in our ‘Developing A Dream Plan’ series, we discussed how to find your passion and purpose. Now that that’s settled its time to find the right mentors to put you on the road to accomplishing those dreams. Having great mentors is very valuable. They have expertise that comes with age and experience and can “fast-forward” you towards your dream. Lets get started…

Who will be your mentor?

Sometimes it’s hard finding the right mentor. And really hard to figure out where to even start. There are mentoring programs that can find you the right mentor. One of the best is called SCORE. SCORE is a free mentoring organization that provides mentoring for all types of people at all stages of their dream. You meet with a counselor who will either become your mentor or put you on the road to finding a mentor that is right for you. It is an amazing resource because the mentors connect throughout the process to provide you with the information you need. The organization also holds workshops (at a low cost) to further your education in a certain area. Check our SCORE at SCORE.org.

What do I bring to a mentorship session?

Write down your dream and any questions you have. What have you done to work toward your dream and what can a mentor help you with. Be specific. It’s important to dress professionally (or nicely) and have a notepad and pen to take notes of what they say. Be sure to bring your business card, or be prepared to ask for theirs.

How do I know if my mentor is right for me?

It takes a couple of sessions for your mentor to warm up to you and for you to warm up to your mentor. Give them some time to understand your dream and understand how they can help. But, there are times that your mentor isn’t right for you. They may not understand your vision. You may not mesh with them. And they may not have enough time to help you. So what do you do? You graciously thank them for their time, and go back to the drawing board of finding the right mentor. The key is to not give up, and to give YOURSELF the best opportunity to succeed.

Start searching for your mentors and building the bonds needed to make you a true success! Best of luck!