In The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success
Seeking wisdom is an active decision. It requires to SEARCH for wisdom. Wisdom is available to all of us, but we must consciously seek it or it will escape us. There were many areas of my life where I was not seeing the results I wanted (especially health and finances). At 24 years old I was working too many hours, I was 50lbs overweight, and I was drowning in credit card debt. I could come up with all of the excuses and reasons I wanted, but the reality is I was exactly where I was as a result of my absolute best thinking. So if I wanted to start making some different decisions I first needed to grow and expand my thinking.
One of the best ways we can grow and expand our thinking is by seeking wise council. Here is a question I have used several times over the past seven years to seek wise council in certain situations, “Who has achieved the results I want and has ‘fruit on the tree’?” This question led to me searching for and finding a mentor in the areas of health and finances.
I met a gentleman who was in great physical health and was able to retire from corporate America before the age of 40 to be a full time dad to his two small kids. He had “fruit on the tree”. I understood that success is not an accident. If you want to be a better athlete, get a great coach. If you want to be financially free learn from a successful entrepreneur. If you want be healthy and fit, seek out an expert in that field who has helped thousands of others get great results.
Entering into a mentoring relationship caused some incredible growth in both of those areas for me. He introduced me to the safest most effective nutritional products on the market. When I combined that with some other healthy lifestyle choices I went on to lose 45lbs in 3 months and improved my strength. Seven years later I have maintained those results.
With regards to finances I was encouraged to start a part time direct sales business. That was not easy, but it was definitely worth it. 15 months later I replaced my full time income on a 10 hour per week effort and retired at the age of 26. It allowed me to completely escape credit card debt and it bought me back my time with my beautiful wife.
My mentor instructed me to do some things that were different and uncomfortable. I wound up doing some things that several other people told me I shouldn’t be doing. I was even mocked and ridiculed by some friends and family members. That was not easy, but every time it happened I simply looked at the “fruit on their trees”. When I realized they were not achieving the results I wanted for my future I politely and lovingly ignored their advice and comments.
Be careful with this and guard your mind. There are way too many opinionated people out there who do not have “fruit on the tree”. Do not just put a Facebook wall post up asking, “What do you do to lose weight?” or “Does anyone have any great tips for paying off these student loans?” Some of the most expensive advice we can get is “free” advice because it causes us to make foolish decisions. There are many people with great intentions who want to help, but lack wisdom and perspective. What if I listened to my friends and family who tried to discourage me from pursuing a different path? I never would have gotten out of debt and gained back time with my wife? If I was still hanging out with my college friends who made poor lifestyle choices in their health I would be even more overweight than I was back then. The price of their “free” advice was way too expensive.
Some of the most expensive advise we can get is “free” advise.
Question: Do you or have you ever had a mentor? If so, what is one valuable lesson you learned from them? Comment below
Excellent blog written about a very important truth. Love your blogs Jesse!
Thank you, Sidney!
Great words of advice Jesse, I will pass it along. I am a firm believer that everyone needs a mentor, no matter how old they are. Thank you!