Mentor – An important Pathfinder

Mentor –  An important Pathfinder

A week back, while I was reading a journal on importance of goal settings in life, I came across a very thought provoking quote by erudite philosopher of modern era, Swami Vivekanada. It mentioned, “Fill the brain with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work”. These lines can be easily grasped by anyone. However, practically in our routine lives almost everyone falls prey to their circumstances and falters to rise above their ordinary thought and ideas.

Even my mind started brooding on the same and penned down all the things I want to accomplish in my lifetime. While reading and re-iterating the list multiple times, I realized there was one common thread which held together varied goals; right from being a globetrotter, starting a small non-profit organization, learning eastern philosophies , apart from many other personal, professional and spiritual goals. Each of these goals had importance due to different individuals who have crossed my paths in different phases of life. They might have been around for a brief period, but these individuals had a definite impact in my holistic life. Their ideas, thoughts and their workmanship have played a big role in building my character in entirety. In my journey till now, they all have been my “Guides” or “Mentors” or “Guru” awakening me in different spheres of life.

The land where I belong, a pedestal of “Guru” is considered a very pious position. While reading, you all might even be startled, why have I made so many mentors in different spheres of my life? But when you initiate contact with the individuals you admire, unknowingly you emulate their work ethics, conduct and even their virtues. If we make efforts, each individual who are destined to meet us in our lifecycle have a potential to render a learning. Inherently, we start adopting their moral values and righteous thoughts, which can have positive influence to our livelihood.

In my teens, due to heavy peer pressure I somehow successfully accomplished my schooling, junior college and graduation. During that phase, definitely there were many professors and tutors who selflessly offered me wisdom to discriminate between correct and the not so correct path. But their role at that time, in my adolescence I might have taken for granted.  

However, somewhere in 2007 during my last year of graduation and in 2008 when I attained my first job in a Strategy & Business Research firm, I realized the significance of strengthening my character for holistic growth as an individual. My role in society was not only limited to learn, implement and earn, but conduct all the things with upright morals and attitude. At that time, I initiated my search for individual who can guide and share their high morals with me; in process started grasping valuable virtues from them.

And the first search of mentors ended with understanding my parents. Though they might be mentoring since our childhood, but I was little slow in grasping their importance in my life. During 2007, when the fire accident broke out at our humble factory, the circumstances and my parents made me learnt the first initial teachings of life. Nothing in life is in accordance of your plans, be flexible and never refrain from starting again. In those days of slight distress, only thing that made us survived was my parent’s grounded approach and humility

Then came October 2008, it was only 2 days when I joined the first job, when the recession news had been making the noise globally. While after few days India also witnessed another problem – Satyam Scam. Both the news ran panic among all the new beginners and even I was one of them, as the project pipelines were dry and people were on bench. One fine day after 2-3 months, I gathered courage and went up to meet the Sr. VP to understand to understand my role and tenure of my job in that circumstances. Smilingly he replied the golden words, “Always be optimistic about your own future, if situations come then have courage to accept it”. And in him, I found my mentor again

Post 2008, I have come across countless individuals both in professional and personal sphere. Everyone had something to offer both in my technical skill-sets as well as character building. And in 2016, with on-set of monsoon, physical trauma and my experiments with self, unlocked a new spiritual essence in me. Alike in all the instances, situations led many individuals to be part of my life.  Many of them revealed and awakened me for my spiritual growth. Though it’s a long way to grow in that sphere of life, but I have now started realizing the critical role that the “Guru”, “Guide”, “Mentor” plays in self-progress in my life

All philosophies across the globe believes that, whatever desires, needs and thoughts we manifest in our mind, we have a divine capacity to attract and realize them. I know that, my boundless journey of new learning, unearthing new mentors and drawing humble strings of wisdom will always continue, thus leading me from darkness towards light

Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in and in your own way, adsorb it, but do not become others

- Swami Vivekananda