I find living deeply, for the most part, a solitary path.
Because it involves thought, contemplation, meditation, and balance, I tend to be isolated a lot of the time. Because I’m a writer, and on this path, and I’m alone A LOT.
But that doesn’t get me down. On the contrary, because I’m introverted by nature, time alone energizes me. Being with others -no matter how enjoyable I find it- depletes my energy stores whereas time spent alone resupplies them; typical of an ISTJ.
As introverted as I tend to be, I need other people; just in small doses. 
John Donne wrote:
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
I, too, and part of the main. And as part of the larger whole, I need others as much as they need me, especially where mentors are concerned.
Mentors help me evolve
Throughout my digital career, I’ve aligned myself with mentors when I’ve needed to learn something.
- When I first left medicine, I needed to learn about online marketing. I chose Robert as a mentor.
- When I needed to learn about the softer side of marketing, I aligned myself with Mark.
- When I needed an intensive year-long study course to learn how to write articles, eBooks, eCourses, etc., I chose Sean.
Each of these helped me evolve into a deeper understanding of my place in the world, both online and off. Though each mentor was different, they each helped me reach this point in their own way.
From Robert I learned how to sell without selling. From Mark, I learned how to sit with the meaning of business and how to serve my customers. Sean taught me the systems important in running a small business and how staying small can help me achieve big things.
Choice factors
I tend to choose mentors based on a couple of factors:
Respect – I have to respect their work. It needs to speak to me as honest and forthright. It needs to come from a place of experience and not from conjecture.
Likeability – If I’m going to align myself with a teacher or mentor, I need to like them. Who wants to hang with someone they don’t like? Life is too short for that.
Value – I have to be convinced that I’m going to experience value in the relationship. This isn’t limited to receiving value only, but experiencing it through experimentation and interaction with the principles and skills I’ll be learning.
Recently, I’ve spent time selecting a new mentor in an area that I want to master. I’m paying for the opportunity. I’ll share details of that when the relationship concludes. Until then, please consider the following questions and, if you wish, share your insights.
What factors are important to you in selecting a mentor? Would those factors change if the mentor charged you for his time?
Please comment below or share your insights on Google+ –> Barry@G+
