Life is an adventure! No one is born with a clear idea of where they are going and how they will get there. Every one of us is on a quest to find our place in the world, trying out different things, and making the most of the opportunities and challenges that life throws at us.
A mentor is someone who allows you to see the light inside yourself.”
– Oprah Winfrey
Sometimes that is easier said than done though. It might become especially difficult when you’re journeying on your own. Perhaps you’re blind to or afraid of some opportunities. It may be that a challenge seems too big for you to handle. And it may be that you simply lack the perspectives or the contacts needed to go where you want to go. All that can be solved with the help of a mentor.
What is a Moonshot Pirates Mentor
A mentor in Moonshot Pirates terms is someone who supports, inspires, and guides you to find your own strengths and goals. It’s someone who with their expertise, their experience, and an empathetic ear empowers you to be yourself and supports you in reaching your biggest goals. It’s someone who encourages you to get out of your comfort zone and to jump over your own shadow.
One good mentor can be more informative than a college education and more valuable than a decade’s income.”
– Sean Stephenson
The greatest leaders of the past and present-day have had mentors at their side, and eventually became mentors themselves. Passing on one’s experiences and hearing the experiences of others is one of the most powerful ways to learn and to have a positive impact on other people’s life.
How Does a Mentorship Look Like
Mentorship can take many different forms. Some are idols who inspire us from afar, for example, authors, artists, athletes. Others are people from our social circle who informally and indirectly encourage and influence us for the better. It could be parents, friends, teachers, siblings. And again others are people we’ve formally asked to support us, like someone we admire or who is experienced in a field we’re interested in. What they all have in common is their willingness to:
- share their knowledge
- listen to our needs
- navigate us in the direction
simply because they believe in and want the best for us!
What are the Benefits of Mentorship for Young People
It can be overwhelming to #thinkbig, be difficult to #daretolearn, and take a lot of courage to #takeaction. That’s why we at Moonshot Pirates have developed a Peer Group Mentoring Program where four Mentees and one Mentor go on a journey together to share their dreams and struggles with each other, offer mutual support, and gain the courage and confidence to follow their own path. The next program kicks off in April 2021.
Emerging leaders need mentors to guide them, but they also need a network of peers to reassure them that they are not on the path alone.”
– Alyse Nelson | CEO of Vital Voices
Having a mentor and a group of fellow mentees in place to journey alongside you makes all the difference in the world. Often we feel alone with our struggles. Because we rarely discuss our anxieties with other people, we don’t realize that we’re sharing the boat with so many others. Similarly, a lot of dreams could actually be realized if only we shared them with other people. They might have contact, a book, an experience, or simply a word of encouragement that could turn our dream into reality.
Our Peer MentorSHIP program will help you with the following:
- #thinkbig: empowers you to think big, foster confidence and resilience
- #daretolearn: provide you with a safe space to discuss failures and difficult experiences in your life
- #takeaction: encourage you to set ambitious and courageous goals and make first steps towards them
- #doepicshit: empower you to step out of your comfort zone
You can read more about the program and how to apply here: Global Peer MentorSHIP
If you want to read more about mentorship, check out this article by Jayne Stevenson.
