Growth can be a difficult, almost painful experience. Consider a teething infant. The feeling of a tooth making its way through the gums is by no means a nice sensation, however the long term benefits far outweigh the temporary pain. Talk with your mentor today about how you can endure your growing pains gracefully.
My mother always said "If you're going to do something, do it right the first time." Mentoring can be very taxing, but it is worth the effort. Talk with your mentor today about any areas in which you might be lacking - he or she might be able to see something you can't.
As we grow we change, and sometimes the goals and dreams we had previously set suddenly no longer seem to fit. Take some time to talk with your mentor about your goals. Maybe you can stretch them in new and exciting ways; it is never too late to set a new dream.
It's always important to know your strengths and weaknesses as a mentor. Use a mentoring skills inventory to help evaluate yourself. Once you are aware of areas that need growth, work on trying to make improvements through working with your mentee. Click the link to see an example inventory document from sciencecareers.sciencemag.org
Mentoring is a great opportunity for both individuals in the partnership to grow, and also an amazing way to make a lifelong connection with another person.
