The Most Influential Mentor You Ever Worked With That Changed Your Life?

Hi Ted
Can I ask as to why you wish to know this ? are you writing a book or maybe going to do a WSO? Just there have been a lot threads asking same information and starting to get a bit tedious
Jason

My best mentor? Actually, I have TWO.

First, my grandfather on my father's side.

He grew up dirt poor. He worked his way through school and became the head of a government agricultural agency. He was sent to travel all over the world (representing the agency at various symposia, summits, and conferences).

Throughout it all, he remained humble.

He thought me to FOCUS and not let NEGATIVITY and SELF-DOUBT get me down.

My second mentor is MY MOTHER

She was the eldest child of a large family in a poor developing country. She had to work at a crayon factor at the AGE OF TEN just to help support her family of 10 people. My grandmother died when my mom was 18 so my mom became the de facto HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD since my grandfather (on my mother's side) was sporadically employed and often 'on the road' for months at a time. In fact, money got so tight, he split up his 8 kids among his brothers so THEY can take care of his kids while he's gone (which was often).

Thanks to my mom's hard work and sacrifice (she worked her way through school), she was able to get all her siblings and her father to migrate to the USA in the late 60s/early 70s.

What did she teach me?

It's not how much you were born with that matters. What matters is what you've managed to GROW, CULTIVATE, and NURTURE in your life.

She didn't believe in BLAMING people for her rough life. She continued to pour LOVE, MONEY, and TIME on my grandfather until he passed away.

Pancreatic cancer took my mom away but her lessons remain.

The only person that can HOLD ME BACK is myself. I have no excuses.

Funny thing being, the most influential mentor in my young life was my step-dad as he was my baseball & boxing coach, and in essence taught me work ethic and responsibility.

I hated him while he was married to my mom from the time I was 7, until age 13.

Looking back on my life... He taught me more than my own Father or really anyone. I was a wild child... So, at the time his determination and persistence in teaching me must've been a huge challenge on his part.

The next was a 3-trick pony so to speak. An east-Indian co-worker that invited me to an Amway convention when I was 17... Which enabled me to hear Zig Ziglar soeak to 80,000 people, and lift my spirit higher than it had ever flown at that age.

The 3rd was a Black Diamond Level Executive in Amway... Multi-millionare in the top 3 of the pyramid. He was humble, wore Mr. Green Jeans farmer alls, flip flops, and drove a beater station wagon.

He taught me; "Never become content. Content breeds contempt, and being too comfortable makes you lazy, and stops you from striving to achieve or set higher goals and challenges." - cannot remember his name, but my subconscious was definitely affected by his wisdoms, even though I never sold any Amway stuff. Started my own business roughly 60 days after all the above happen on my 18th birthday.

Today, I am in a cheap coaching program hosted by Eben Pagan, and while I admire his success... He's yet to top my prior mentions.

Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Dale Carnegie, and several early 20th century writers and speakers do align with my thinking and fit the bill as to what I hope to become... But, I rarely get far in their teachings as it often freaks me out a bit... As I'll read something that parralels my earlier journal entries, ideas, and philosophies... Stuff I was writing before reading their stuff.

Heck, I could probably name 100 more people... But, as far as a direct mentor in the actual IMing community, there's a few here I admire and respect.

Still, I cannot say I have a "direct line" to any specific mentor right now. Mostly, absorbing, and filtering it all solo.

I am a bit partial to decide if I want a direct mentor yet... As I fear it could help me or in a weird way alter my path, and lead me in a different direction... Not the wrong direction per se... I think I am exactly where I need to be... struggling a bit, scratching, clawing, and gripping the rails... Determined to become a webmaster of sort. All or nothing!!!

Long winded post...

All the Best,

Art

"It's the pursuit that gets my adreneline going!"