The Importance of a Mentor

Hey folks! I'm back again after a long time with something truly close to my heart. Ever wondered how having the right mentor can transform your life? Well, I’ve been blessed with amazing mentors at every stage, and today, I’ll share how their guidance has helped me grow and succeed."

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had great mentors at each stage of my life. They have consistently guided me through various phases. While my mentors may not always be professionals, they are friends who stood by me and helped me in every situation, be it during school, college, or my corporate journey.

I would like to divide my life into four distinct phases: school life, junior college life, college life, and corporate life. In each of these phases, I encountered different individuals who supported me during challenging times.

In school, I was a very shy person who avoided talking to seniors or discussing studies with others. I preferred to study on my own, which ultimately led to lower marks than I had expected in my 10th-grade exams.

This experience was a wake-up call for me. I decided to change my approach and became more open. I started talking to my senior friends about my studies. Some people didn’t show much interest, but some friends truly helped. They spent lot of hours discussing studies with me, which boosted my confidence to ask for guidance and due to this experience i realized that there are always people willing to help; you just need to initiate the conversation. Not everyone will support you, but if you ask 10 people, at least 2 will step up to help. With the guidance of my seniors, I found the right path in my studies during 11th and 12th grade, i scored good marks, and got into a good college.

In my college days, I used to sit in the college library. One day, I met a guy who has been by my side through every situation and is now working at a top tech company. The funny part is, We share the same name! With him, I was first introduced to data structures and algorithms. We studied DSA together and eventually cracked a good company.

In my corporate life, I was fortunate to have seniors who not only guiding me technically but also helping me in financial matters. That’s why I keep saying — networking is an underrated skill. Use it wisely, and you’ll find better opportunities and achieve things you never thought possible.

Lastly, I believe a successful mentorship is built on open communication, trust, and feedback. It’s important to reflect on your progress from time to time. Mentorship is a team effort, and once you start seeing yourselves as a team, you both grow and succeed together.

"A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself."
— Oprah Winfrey