Advocates, Champions, Mentors - Got One?

I have never met anyone who has achieved sustained career or business success that did not have a champion, advocate, coach or mentor in their corner as they worked towards a dream, a goal or a vision.

How about you? Are you the exception to this belief of mine and are you still trying to "go it alone" as you travel one step after another towards your unknown future?

Mentor - adviser, guide, guru, counselor, consultant, confidant(e).

Personal coach - Coaching is a form of development in which a person called a coach supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training, advice and guidance.

Advocate - upholder, supporter, backer, promoter, proponent, exponent.

Champion - advocate, proponent, promoter, supporter, defender, upholder, backer, exponent, campaigner, lobbyist, crusader, apologist, booster, flag-bearer.

I'm sure none of the above are anything new for you but I offer them as a reminder that they all have something in common - the blending of wisdom/knowledge that is shared with others in some beneficial way.

As a side note: two of my mentors for many years have been Will Rogers and Mark Twain (I guess this is where I get one of my missions that is to get under other people's skin to trigger positive change in some way. If I'm not under yours yet - just give me time you'll get there.)

Yes, they are both dead and I never met either of them but I can still learn from them from their many books and words of wisdom.

Where was I - back to the main points of this article;

What are the benefits of have one of the above (in the title)?

During my career, I have had numerous relationships with mentors, coaches and mastermind groups but the ones that have done the most for my career and business success over the years are Advocates and Champions. Yes, the other helpers are valuable and can save you lots of time and resources but I have learned that

Advocates and Champions always do more for you than the others and they do it because they want to not because they benefit in some way.

These people want to help you succeed, believe in what you are doing and why and have no skin in the game other than the satisfaction of contributing in some small way to your achievements and/or success.

They help you save time. They help you make valuable connections. But the most important thing they do is "Sell" you to the important people or contacts that they know in a way that improves your credibility and saves you effort.

Let me give you one quick example.

A friend and fellow author was unknown but one of his connections liked his writing and contacted him to see if he could be of any help. Well, to make a very long story short, because of one of his connections he was able to secure a publisher for his first book with a significant six figure advance. The story isn't over yet. He recently told me he just got a 5-million-dollar advance on his third book. And how and why?

Just because someone he didn't know all that well was willing to help him. Go figure!

Have any champions in your life? I've been fortunate during my career to have a few but they shall remain anonymous as they are or have been all celebrities in their own way.

They can save you time, make you money, make you famous, get you new positions etc. I could go on for a few pages on what a champion or advocate can do for your career or business.

But, if you don't get it yet, I won't waste any more of your time.

Where can you find them?

They are everywhere. They are in your Facebook, LinkedIn or some other social media list hidden just waiting to surface. They live next door, work across the street, they know your relatives and they know some of your customers. They work for competitors. Have I made myself clear yet? Again, they are everywhere. So, you ask, how do you find the right ones who can help you accelerate your career or business? First of all, networking is not who you know but who knows you, so attending events every night to collect hundreds of business cards might help you some before you retire but there might be a better way.

This is not a book about this subject so I'll leave you with three quick ideas.

1) If you don't ask you will never know.

2) If you don't ask you will never find out.

3) If you don't ask you will never find them.

I know - a bit redundant. But, what are you waiting for?

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