The Pocket Mentor: Insider Tips from America's Most Successful People

What career path are you on? Where are you going in your career? These are questions I ask myself regularly. And they are questions you should ask too, if for no other reason than mild curiosity about your eventual destination. Yes, you will wind up somewhere. Lewis Carroll famously said, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." But I don't believe you want to be on just any road. You want to be on the road that gets you to your destination as quickly and painlessly as possible. As a college professor and mentor in a high school mentorship program, I speak with many young adults who don't know where they want to go in their career, much less how to get there. I was no different at their age. A part of the problem today is the disruption from the Great Recession of 2009. Many Americans, especially Millennials, who range in age from 18 to 33, feel disconnected from the traditional anchors of society-career, marriage, family, and religious and political affiliations. Another part of the problem is their youth. Lacking experience and surrounded by myriad career choices, many Millennials lapse into a cocoon of indifference (I don't have to decide yet) or magical thinking (I can do anything I want) about the future. Still, I believe all people-young, middle-aged, and seniors-who have a direction and a destination achieve much more in life than those who don't. In the past five years, I've reached out to 101 high achievers-not celebrities, but men and women who have made a difference in the lives of others-and posed one question: "What one piece of advice do you wish you had received when you were graduating from college or starting out in life?" The Pocket Mentor captures these invaluable career tips and life lessons for you. This advice falls into five core competencies: 1) be yourself, 2) be for others, 3) be a learner, 4) be persistent, and 5) be a risk-taker. Be Yourself Becoming yourself is a top priority of many Pocket Mentor contributors. Repeatedly, you are urged not to fall in line, not to follow the crowd, not to settle for the fashion of the day. Instead, you are counseled to become the person you were meant to be. Be Empathetic Empathy is the critical 21st century skill and the second most frequent competency in The Pocket Mentor. For many contributors, empathy is not optional; it is essential to career success and living the good life. Be a Learner Lifetime learning is critical to Pocket Mentor contributors. If they aren't learning something new and sharing it with others, life almost isn't worth living. Again and again you are encouraged to leave your comfort zone, examine, and explore the world around you. Be Persistent There's not one quitter in The Pocket Mentor. In fact, one might be tempted to say many are downright stubborn. But people who set big goals and achieve great things can be obstinate. Be a Risk-Taker The Pocket Mentor contributors remind you that playing it safe doesn't get you very far. Still, many of us are paralyzed by the mere thought of taking a risk. The incomparable Peter Drucker said this about risk-taking: "People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year." So why hesitate? Three final thoughts about The Pocket Mentor: first, the contributors aren't out-of-touch sages serving up spiritual comfort food. They are field-tested guides, mentors-Sherpas, if you will-who will help you find a path to the mountaintop. Second, each offers a word or two of advice, but you still must chop wood, haul water, and do the work. Third, despite their counsel, you will meet obstacles and fall on your face from time to time. This is a good sign. As Frank A. Clark once said, "If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." Enjoy the journey. It's the only way to appreciate the destination.