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Five interconnected categories ultimately bring more life to an individual than they ever dreamed possible.
Yes, that is a rather large statement. However, the best of mentoring has increasing influence on the lives of both the mentor and the mentoree. What follows is a brief look at what will be unpacked in the next several blog posts.
Category One:
Linear thinking (1, 2, 3, 4, 5…a, b, c, d, e….1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th) can certainly help one chart progress and process. However, when it comes to the “organicness” of individuals and organizations (which, of course, are made up of individuals) we need to be reminded of the obvious.
You and I, whether mentor or mentoree are made up in our bodies of several overlapping systems. We have a bone skeleton structure. But that’s not all there is to us.
Stating the obvious, we humans have muscles. We have veins and arteries to carry our blood. We have organs doing their interrelated functions. All of what makes up us, including our nerves, eyes, skin, tongue, teeth. We could go and on, but I think you get the picture. Each human, each animal, each species is a series of interconnected systems. If one part of us is not functioning well, in time parts of the rest of us will soon not be doing well the either.
Our physical interconnectedness is not linear. Thus, Category One is to fully realize and not lose sight of the fact that we are whole people…amazingly crafted and created to be fully alive within every dimension of our lives.
Category Two:
We humans can not function without being aware that we also have a core to us. There is an “inner us” that is vast, mystical and necessary where every moment of every day of our lives, from birth to death, informs how we live, respond, grow, thrive.
Consciously, or unconsciously, impacting what we each do with who we are is what we refer to as our Belief System. Every human alive has one.
Who are you? Really?
That is not asking what you do. Tell me who are you?
Some belief systems, unfortunately, can be imposed. Other are self caught. But with the best of mentoring we cannot overlook the fact that we all have a system of belief that guides who we are in how we live our lives.
People who are thriving with a healthy belief system experience a life-giving congruence, a way of thinking about themselves and others, that flows through every dimension of their lives. A healthy, integrated belief system always forms, at the core of a person, the foundation for each individual, unique Circle of Life.
(…remember, the integrated parts of all these categories will be more fully unpacked in future blog posts…)
Important questions come to mind. What do I really believe to be true about life? My life? The who I am is core to what I do with my life. What are some of the purposes for which I am alive? In what ways will I continue to explore, discover and acknowledge who I am and what I believe about the life I am here to live? What are the differences I know I am here to make in our world?
Category Three:
With some growing understanding of our personal belief system at the core of who we are, our mentoring model then suggests that we look at ourselves in 8 dimensions. Just like our human body is all interconnected, so is who we are and how we live out our lives.
As you will see on this blog we look at the life of every one of us in 8 Dimensions. With our belief system at the core, we form a circle of life to be lived.
In no particular order, for this is not a linear model, here are the categories of the Circle of Life…life in 8 dimensions:
- Vocational
- Physical
- Intellectual
- Financial
- Emotional
- Social
- Family & Marriage
- Creative
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Category Four:
Mentoring can take place no matter what the age of a person. Obviously, age does determine how we view the past, the current moments and the future years of our life. Therefore, we talk about the Three3rds of Life.
The First Third (0-30) involves children (1-10), adolescents (10-20) and emerging adults (20-30). There is certainly a give and take in how these ages come about. This third is formative for how each person will live the rest of their lives.
The Second Third (30-60) moves a person into their more productive years. The first half of this time frame for individuals is where education, possible marriage and family, and vocation begins to be realized (30-45). The second half (45-60), if all goes as hoped for, brings a sense of accomplishment for how they have lived out their dimensions and how they will live for the rest of their lives.
The Third Third (60 to whenever…assuming good health and a long life), we define as engaging, eldering, encouraging those coming up the path of life. It is the commitment to be active, involved models of how to live full and rewarding lives, by being willing to mentor those coming after us.
Category Five:
No matter the age, there is the privilege of becoming mentors, even master mentors, wherever one finds themselves. Intentional, whole-life, deep-change, transformational mentoring is needed everywhere, on every continent, in every culture. It is our hope to train and release men and women around the globe into being fully alive in all the dimensions of their lives, and mentoring others to do the same.
To pass this on and pay it forward is a high calling. People just like you are needed. We at LDG will help guide you in the process. But remember, how you live your own life is crucial to mentoring others to do the same.
All of this will be more fully explained in future blog posts. We welcome any and all of your questions and comments. Life is a journey that we do together. Your mentorship in our world is needed.
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