Adding Mentors to Your Holiday Plans

Recently, several Get Momentum members met at a local Alabama coffee shop for a session to discuss their goals for next year.

You can start this holiday season with powerful conversations with important people who have impacted you -- these conversations have the ability to change your life and the way you work.

Your momentum - in life and at work - will grow based on the "team of people" you have around you.

First, think about where you will you be this holiday season. Over the next few weeks,

1. Who will you see?
2. Who will you video-conference?
3. Who will you hear from?
4. Who will you call?

I'll be in Washington, DC and Portland, Oregon next week before I visit my family in Northern California.

Trust me, I know how much extra work it takes to reach out and schedule time with influential people.

The success of my company and the quality of my life is a result of reaching out, making invitations, making the effort to meet with important people.

Now, I've already made calls to invite some influential people (I call them mentors) for meals and what I know will be a great conversation.

I've even started compiling Agendas for each person; this way I remember the stories I want to share and the questions I'd like to ask them. (Something we talk about in the "Productivity Through Technology" unit of Get Momentum. Click here to find out more about that...)

Agendas aren't just for boardroom meetings anymore.

Have you ever remembered a story after the fact and said to yourself, "Oh, I mean to tell her about..."

If you're going to be anywhere different in a year or two from where you are right now... it's going to be because of who you reached out to and what you shared.

Before you finish your day today, schedule time with AT LEAST ONE important person in your life. With a little notice, they will make time for you; I just know it.

With all the busyness of the holidays, it's easy to put this off.

Open up your calendar, pick a few days, and send invitations to people you'd like to sit down with; especially that person you consider a mentor.

This is important. You are important.

Talking about your 2016 experiences and sharing your 2017 goals is important.

NOW is the time to make things happen.

And, when you have the chance to sit and talk with your mentors, make the most of it!

Steps BEFORE you talk with your mentor:

• Write down (at least) 20 accomplishments (big or little) you experienced throughout the past 12 months.
• Identify the specific themes to those achievements (who was involved, where you were, etc?)
• Consider what you could have done to experience even MORE success.
• Identify one (or a maximum of two) question you'd like to ask your mentor.

The key to productive conversations is to clearly define what you want from having that conversation.

Be ready for the question, "How can I help you?"

SIDE NOTE: I observe people as they spend so much time talking about how bad things are, often describing in great detail all the things they don't want to happen. When this occurs, they miss the rare opportunity to focus on building a life of momentum. Be smart. Focus on what you DO want.

ADVANCED SKILL: When you have time to talk with an experienced advisor, talk about what you DO want! I often start my mentor conversations by sharing with them my responses to the prompts above, and then I tell them the question I'm wrestling with. Time and time again, this works.

I walk away inspired and informed, always with a plan of what to do next.

• Remember, time is precious.
• Be selective with your invitations.
• Set your intention.
• And share generously.

 

I hope your BEST gets even better...