Guest blog by Don Campbell
I have been blest with good role models my entire life. When I was young it was my parents, my family and their friends. You may have heard the statement “it takes a village to raise a child.” I feel I was raised like that. I have had role models that I have known, respected and looked up to for 50 or 60 years. What a blessing. As I grew I was always able to find good role models no matter where I was or what I was doing. This included my university years, my veterinary career and especially my ranching career. Holistic Management encouraged me to become a life-long learner. Holistic Management offered me a wonderful opportunity to continue to be influenced by good role models.
When I was about 50 I realized that I knew people who could really help me grow, increase my knowledge and skills and become a better person. This personal growth appealed to me. I phoned some of these people and said “I’d like to get to know you better and learn from you. Would you allow me to come and spend some time with you?” Amazingly people always said yes to my request. The result was that I set up a flexible program of learning. I spent as much as a day a month for up to six months with some of my mentors. I drove as much as 8 hours one way to invest in my learning. The result was rapid personal growth that resulted in a higher degree of success. Another interesting thing also happened; these people became lifelong friends.
I encourage you to look around. Is there someone you might learn from? Why not set up a personal mentoring program with that person? Your first reaction may well be “I can’t afford the time.” My response would be “can you afford not to invest in yourself?”
As I look at my life today I am confident that no matter what situation may arise I will know someone I can turn to for love, wisdom, guidance and support. What do you think that kind of support does for my self-confidence?
Don Campbell is a Holistic Management practitioner and Certified Educator in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada and can be reached at: doncampbell@sasktel.net