January is National Mentoring Month
This is a friendly reminder that January is National Mentoring Month. Having a whole month dedicated to ‘something’ attests to its importance. Many studies tout the benefits of mentoring relationships, both for the mentor and mentee. However, personal responsibility is key to success, therefore, it’s important that professionals take the time to also mentor themselves. And that’s why The Invisible Mentor blog is so important. An invisible mentor is a unique leader you can learn from by observing them from a distance. But an invisible mentor doesn’t always have to be a person, it can be a book, and it can be any tool or resource that will enable you to develop personally and professionally.
Napoleon Hill, who wrote the timeless classic, Think and Grow Rich (Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller–Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century), had invisible mentors, but he called them invisible counsellors. Hill invested the time to really know his invisible counselors, and he did this by collecting information about them, so that when he faced a problem, he imitated the actions of those he had studied. During National Mentoring Month, each week, I resolve to provide you with information on one of Napoleon Hill’s nine invisible counselors so that you can start to mimic what Hill did. His invisible counselors were Ralph Waldo Emerson (My profile), Thomas Paine (My profile), Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin (My profile), Abraham Lincoln (My profile), Luther Burbank (My profile), Napoleon Bonaparte, Henry Ford (My profile) and Andrew Carnegie (My profile). As you can see, I have already researched three of the nine and written mini biographies. I have also written about Napoleon Bonaparte, but in the context of a despot. It is my hope that the information will enable you to mentor yourself.
Related Posts:
What did Napoleon Hill Omit? Invisible Counselors vs. Invisible Mentors
Napoleon Hill Did This, and You Should Too
Napoleon Bonaparte: 7 Lessons from a Despot
Dr. Marsha Carr, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, who I have mentioned before, developed the concept of self-mentoring, which is related to invisible mentoring. She graciously allowed me to interview her a few months ago, and I have already posted the interview. She is way ahead of me, and has already fleshed out her self-mentoring concept. During my liberal arts education, it is my hope and belief, that I will be able to create the invisible mentor model. Here are her ideas on self-mentoring. Dr. Carr and I have spoken a few times, and are supportive of each other, and I would like to think that we mentor each other.
To celebrate National Mentoring Month, take the time to mentor yourself, as well as mentor another person. How do you plan to celebrate National Mentoring Month? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Liked this post? Share it and subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Author Bio: Avil Beckford, an expert interviewer, entrepreneur and published author is passionate about books and professional development, and that's why she founded The Invisible Mentor and the Virtual Literary World Tour to give you your ideal mentors virtually in the palm of your hands by offering book reviews and book summaries, biographies of wise people and interviews of successful people.
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