Lost and Found

The section titled Find Mentors discusses finding people in your field who are seasoned and have a lot of experience to offer, and to reach out to these veterans of the field and try to gain from them what knowledge they have to offer. It is a simple idea, but as the text explains, it is intimidating to just ask someone to offer their services and mentor you. It is a lot to ask, and not everyone is up for it after all. Besides, it is challenging to know who is even a good mentor, and who is not.

I consider many of my professors at Worcester State mentors to an extent. However, I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had the kind of mentor-ship detailed within the section. I can definitely relate to the anxieties listed about reaching out to someone. It can seem weird and uncomfortable. I suppose it is just a feeling you have to conquer if you want the best for yourself, however. After all, nobody else is going to ask for you.

From my perspective, Find Mentors is such an important pattern because there is a limit to how much most people can learn independently. There is such a huge advantage to having a resource like someone who has been through all the challenges you are facing and can solve some of the problems that come up. I hope that in my future I have the chance to meet someone who can offer me these advantages. Actually getting into the field is a huge hurdle, and having someone who has been through it and could coach me on how to navigate it would be incredible. It is just something I am going to have to search for.

Overall, Find Mentors seems like one of, if not the most important apprenticeship pattern I’ve read about and discussed so far. After all, finding a compatible mentor that is willing to dedicate the right amount of time for you would result in huge growth and development. It is hard to obtain this ideal, but it is something worth striving for.