Mentor's Guide

When ever there used to be an interview or a test for a job opening for any of his children (younger brother, younger sister and I) Uppa used to say "If they are worthy enough to benefit from your services, Allah will give them the chance of letting you serve for them". Does this statement reflect pride? On the first read it might look like it until you delve into the deeper aspects of it, lets explore.

 

            Each individual is blessed with capabilities and skills which are given to them and given to no one else. Consider an employer who is looking for some one with a type of skill, x-skill.  You might be that person who is having that x-skill, what if you are not aware of it? What if the employer is not aware of how to identify a person with x-skill after all he is not the creator who give skills to an aspirant. So if the employer is lucky enough, he would be able to identify the x-skill holder and take use of his services. In such an ideal case every one wins.

 

            One of my good mentors Kumar from tech access told me, "If the beggars in the street come to realize the unique skills within them they would become successful in life".  A good mentor is the one who can identify the skill hidden in a Mentee polish and bring it out to benefit the Mentee.  Kumar a mechanical Engineer used to run a workshop which was not successful, now leads a major corporation's sales in Middle East, Africa and some parts of Europe.

 

            No work is lowly in nature, the prophet used to repair his footwear, wash clothes do chores of the household conveying the same. It is up to the individual to choose his right aspirations. Prophet was given a choice to be either a "King and a Prophet" or be a "Slave (a simple life) and a Prophet" he chose to be a "Slave and a Prophet". Prophet Sulaiman(King  Solomon) was a king and a prophet. There is nothing wrong in aspiring to be rich or wealthy, but then again it's a personal choice.

 

The definition of being rich and wealthy varies from person to person. Some consider wealth as money or recognition or peace of mind or being adored or being respected and revered etc. Some consider wealth as getting pleasure of the one who has created us and sent us here.  For a good slave what ever is given by his master makes him happy and content and he goes out to serve his master and please him. This was aspiration of the prophet, and it was not artificial it was from his heart. True aspirations come from within the heart, what you really want to do? That is what you have to find out and that is not easy it takes years to find out after many successful/unsuccessful endeavors.  

 

Following your true aspirations brings the x-skill out of you it benefits you and the whole mankind, you cannot be some one else and follow your aspirations. Having lost or won an opportunity is not as important but what is important within that loss or win is to realize what you have within you that would make you successful. Creator has given you the skills so ask him to guide you and help you. He is the one person we all have and no one can take him away from us and he is the best Mentor if you trust him to be so.

 

If some one request you to mentor them kindly honor that request treat their skills as treasures entrusted to you, the best favor you can do is help them find their unique set of skills. It is okay for a Mentee to be jealous of his mentor but it would be disaster for the Mentee if it is the other way round.