The Right Mentor

Sheep Can't Mentor A Lion...

The real Mentor identifies the deep seated potential in you which despite you bearing it all along within, you may not have realised. Whilst that is the idea I wanted to explore, I recall having read a lovely story - 'The Way Of Passion - A Celebration Of Rumi' which is contextually so true to quote and thus convey the same point easily.

Once upon a time, a pregnant lioness was hunting for food and saw a herd of sheep. In her attempt to hunt, she got exhausted and died. Luckily, the little lion she was carrying got delivered before. Being brought up with sheep as the sibling, the little lion believd it was sheep and imitated 'sheepish' behaviours - walking, eating and bleating.

One day in the same jungle another fully grown male lion witnessed this . He was very upset. He grabbed the young lion and dragged him to the pond. He forced the young lion to see his reflection and compare it with the other sheep and then compare it with him.

You are a Lion , a lion like me, he said. Not a sheep like those others. Now roar - you have a lions strength, courage and majesty. You are a predator and not a prey. Now roar, he said and himself roared loudly and showed him. The little lion was initially scared. But soon got over it with repeated roars of the older Lion.

The lion has to be coached by a lion. Whatever may be the authentic intent, the sheep cannot coach the lion.

The initial efforts of that young lion to roar were pathetic . It resembled both - a bleat and a squeak ... but soon under acute supervision of the adult lion, the younger lion discovered his true nature and learned to roar.

Thus it is necessary to know who you are ( or for someone to identify who you are) and then put yourself for mentoring under the right leader - someone who will know what it will take to make you roar like the lion who you really are. That includes strength, character, experiences, nature and abilities.

Everyone who retires from a job, wants to believe that he is a natural Coach and a mentor. Yes and No.

Yes, only if he has been a lion.