Mentors: Game Changers?

What is the most insightful thing someone ever told you? When I try to narrow down my answer to this I struggle. I lost my mom when I was twenty four years old. It was traumatizing and also character building. She was my mentor in all ways and without her presence I have struggled in my life, particularly with making hard decisions. Thankfully I have had some career-guiding, life-changing people come into my life at exactly the right moments. The story I share most often is in regards to deciding to go back for a masters degree. A friend of my moms (who happened to be a nurse at the hospital where I worked) said “Briana, what’s your hangup?” I told her the big issue was the burden I would put my husband and children through for two straight years. Especially the girls who wouldn’t see as much of me. Her response “Honey, two years will pass whether you are in school or not, where do you want to be in two years? And what will teach your girls more, being present for all the events or role modeling how hard things are done?”

Okay universe, I hear ya.

In this post I will discuss the difference between a mentor and a coach, what they can offer you, how to find one, and how to make the most of your time.