As a bright eyed youngster, I recall always taking the advice I received from my elders very seriously.
With mature parents and older sisters I was never short of someone I could look to for guidance when it came to what I thought were big decisions that would shape the course of my life. Over time and through experience, we can sometimes become closed to external feedback in pursuit of our own vision and this can come at the detriment of the bigger picture.
So who do you look to for advice when you need it and how do you find the right mentors to guide you on your journey?
Firstly, let’s define who an adviser or mentor is…
- An adviser or mentor is an individual who has expertise or specialization in a particular area
- Is able to offer advice without bias/ conflicts of interest
- Someone who is willing to give you the ‘hard advice’ when you really need it
- Can provide you with the pros and cons associated with their advice
- Is charging you a fee for the value of their time and expertise
An adviser should be someone you can look to for support and is capable of holding you accountable to what you are trying to achieve. Life tends to get in the way of progress and as such, having someone who can ensure you implement change is an integral part of a quality advice relationship.
As a client looking for a mentor, how do you ensure you get as much value as possible?
- Ensure that you clearly define what it is you are trying to achieve before you start looking for an adviser
- Be willing to take the advice given to you and understand why it has been provided
- Have a budget in mind for what you are willing to spend in order to solve the problem or reach the outcome
- Make the time to commit to your mentors process
Over the course of my life I have had many advisers and mentors who have helped me overcome hurdles in both life and business. Through this experience it has helped me provide better advice to my clients as it is important to understand both roles of an advice relationship in order to clearly define how value is exchanged by both parties.
My motto has always been stick to what you know and outsource everything else (some advice my Dad gave me long ago) which has helped me overcome my own ego to seek solutions for scenarios where I may not possess the necessary expertise.
Remember, the jack of all trades is normally the master of none so seeking good advice and mentorship can make all of the difference!
Thanks for reading,
Jackson | The Wealth Mentor
