“Mentorship is the key to extraordinary success.” – Mike Murdock.
The Journey to Greatness: A Hard Lesson in Mentorship
Fresh out of medical school, I was on the cusp of my next big step—starting my mandatory one-year internship at my alma mater, the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. The wait, however, turned into a long eight-month stretch. Eager to make the most of my time, I ventured into the world of motivational speaking and marketing, thinking it was the perfect opportunity to lay the groundwork for my envisioned future. Driven by entrepreneurial passion, I believed I was on the right track.
I poured my energy into reading books and listening to CDs by the greats in the industry, thinking that I could build my path to greatness through effort and hard work alone. In my mind, mentorship was an optional luxury that I thought only those who couldn’t figure things out on their own would need.
False Confidence: “I Can Do It Myself”
My mindset was simple: “I can figure things out on my own.” Armed with that belief, I pushed forward with determination, convinced that effort alone would get me where I needed to be. I didn’t realize that I was walking a dangerous path—one that would lead to frustration and defeat.
As the roadblocks began to pile up, it became painfully clear: hard work alone wasn’t enough. Debt piled up. My reputation was at risk. I found myself stuck, unable to move forward, and I was forced to face the truth: mentorship wasn’t just a luxury. It was a necessity.
The Hard Lesson: “A Fool for a Mentor”
Looking back, I realize just how much I missed by dismissing the importance of mentorship. Benjamin Jonson, the poet and playwright, wisely said, “He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a mentor.” That was me. I thought I could chart my own course, but what I needed was guidance, wisdom, and experience from someone who had walked the road before me. It was a painful lesson learned the hard way.
Mentorship: The Advantage I Should Have Embraced
I eventually abandoned the business and started my internship, but the scars of my past were real. While my fellow interns were saving money to buy cars, I was using my income to pay off the debts I had accumulated. It wasn’t just a financial setback—it was a personal one. But through this challenging time, I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my life: mentorship is not optional for anyone who aspires to reach the top.
Even though it’s been twenty years, that conviction remains stronger than ever. Mentorship is an advantage that no one can afford to overlook, and a lack of it is a serious disadvantage. [To be continued next week].
