My Mentor Experience

Four years ago I sat on the back patio of my mentors home. It was a cool October night and we were enjoying a nice Imperial Stout, seated next to the fire pit, catching up on life and what the Lord was teaching us. During the conversation I was challenge by a mentor to ask myself, “What is my vision for my professional future?” This came about after several months of obvious disconnect regarding my role as a Project Manager for a small Class A general contracting company. My initial reaction was to respond with a half-hearted, empty excuse, that would greater explain my mentors concern. Yet, I paused, and answered honestly. “I am not sure, but I know it is not the path that I am currently on.” I felt lost and overwhelmed by my current “reality.”

Striving to balance healthy rhythms of home, work and school, while along the way being able to hone “personal mastery and proficiency skills” to experience personal and professional growth. Senge states that, “personal mastery goes beyond competence and skills, though it is grounded in competence and skills. It goes beyond spiritual unfolding or opening, although it requires spiritual growth. It means approaching one’s life as a creative work, living life from a creative as opposed to reactive viewpoint” (Senge, p 131). I have begun to realize the “importance of continually clarifying what is important”, and allowing my vision to adjust as I am “continually learning how to see (my) current realities more clearly” (Senge, p 132). Adjustments are vital to success, as barriers are a reality. I have created defined goals with anticipated times of completion for my vision to be “successful,” yet the reality is that variables in life will impact those goals, and if we are unwilling to adjust we will give way to “unrealistic realities.” The choice to spend your Saturday afternoon teaching your 4 year old daughter how to ride a bike, instead of focusing on the school work you are behind on may have an negative impact on your grade, but ultimately help sustain the balance that is needed to see “your vision” to completion. Barriers come in many forms, but often it is our decisions that decide whether or not they become a true obstacle, or merely a distraction. “Mastery of creative tension leads to a fundamental shift in our whole posture toward(s) reality” (Senge, p