Way back in 2012, I met a brilliant young lady (whom I shall just call Grace, out of respect for her privacy), at a Social Entrepreneurship conference. She was the founder and CEO of an innovative global franchise of supportive facilities for those in the business of doing good, seeking solutions to world problems and trying to forge unconventional career paths. I was very impressed by her idealism, enthusiasm, charisma, drive and determination to make a difference to society. She was so refreshing and inspiring and she had a knack for networking and getting people involved. In an interview with Grace that was published in the Straits Times, once again I was bowled over by the vision, achievements and personality of this young social entrepreneur.
A number of things Grace said in this interview stood out. Firstly, she spoke about her passion for helping people to discover theirs. She said that “If people are truly honest with themselves, they will want to care for the world. But most people are afraid to know themselves. They just make a living, not live. Alive people have a lot of energy…I think that if individuals are asked to rise to their fullest individual potential, the nation and the economy, as a collective of individuals, will be more productive and vibrant. But the irony is that our highest potential scares us. We are afraid to know ourselves in our fullest form.”
What wisdom Grace espouses. Most people do not live the lives they truly aspire to, but lives that are designed by others, whether it is their parents, peers or society at large. The definition of success, especially in an economically driven society like Singapore, tends to be bit narrow. Money and materialism (and power as a bonus) sum it up. Our talented young do not train to be best musicians, artists or sportsmen because their parents and society have persuaded them that there is no future in these pursuits. Better to do accountancy, law or medicine if possible. If not, go into business and make money. From a young age, talent, idealism, altruism, entrepreneurship and social conscience are submerged in ever denser layers of expectation, responsibility and the need to satisfy others. Why are people afraid to know their highest potential? I believe it is because of many fears: Fear over what they must give up, fear of failure, fear of the unknown and fear of letting people down. Some are pushed into their true passions only in extremis. I know of lawyers, accountants and bankers who have totally burned out in high flying careers and have re-discovered their true vocations as bakers, photographers, non-profit workers or mentors. Why did it have to come to this? Is there not some way in which people can live the lives they truly want?
Grace believes that young people have youth, creativity and energy on their side. She hopes her work will give these people that “extra dose of courage” to take the leap. I believe Grace was at the time already possibly one of the most powerful mentors in Singapore. How do I know that? Because she knew herself, she knew what’s truly important in her own life, she knew what values she held, she knew how to succeed, she understood mentoring and she earnestly desired to help others achieve meaning in their lives and work. These are the hallmarks of a superb mentor. I may be a generation older than Grace, but I felt like a mentee when she spoke out passionately. This is perhaps the expression of a truth that coaches and mentors believe in: That people can, and should be coach and coachee, mentor and mentee to one another.
A Mentor Extraordinaire
Way back in 2012, I met a brilliant young lady (whom I shall just call Grace, out of respect for her privacy), at a Social Entrepreneurship conference. She was the founder and CEO of an innovative global franchise of supportive facilities for those in the business of doing good, seeking solutions to world problems and trying to forge unconventional career paths. I was very impressed by her idealism, enthusiasm, charisma, drive and determination to make a difference to society. She was so refreshing and inspiring and she had a knack for networking and getting people involved. In an interview with Grace that was published in the Straits Times, once again I was bowled over by the vision, achievements and personality of this young social entrepreneur.
A number of things Grace said in this interview stood out. Firstly, she spoke about her passion for helping people to discover theirs. She said that “If people are truly honest with themselves, they will want to care for the world. But most people are afraid to know themselves. They just make a living, not live. Alive people have a lot of energy…I think that if individuals are asked to rise to their fullest individual potential, the nation and the economy, as a collective of individuals, will be more productive and vibrant. But the irony is that our highest potential scares us. We are afraid to know ourselves in our fullest form.”
What wisdom Grace espouses. Most people do not live the lives they truly aspire to, but lives that are designed by others, whether it is their parents, peers or society at large. The definition of success, especially in an economically driven society like Singapore, tends to be bit narrow. Money and materialism (and power as a bonus) sum it up. Our talented young do not train to be best musicians, artists or sportsmen because their parents and society have persuaded them that there is no future in these pursuits. Better to do accountancy, law or medicine if possible. If not, go into business and make money. From a young age, talent, idealism, altruism, entrepreneurship and social conscience are submerged in ever denser layers of expectation, responsibility and the need to satisfy others. Why are people afraid to know their highest potential? I believe it is because of many fears: Fear over what they must give up, fear of failure, fear of the unknown and fear of letting people down. Some are pushed into their true passions only in extremis. I know of lawyers, accountants and bankers who have totally burned out in high flying careers and have re-discovered their true vocations as bakers, photographers, non-profit workers or mentors. Why did it have to come to this? Is there not some way in which people can live the lives they truly want?
Grace believes that young people have youth, creativity and energy on their side. She hopes her work will give these people that “extra dose of courage” to take the leap. I believe Grace was at the time already possibly one of the most powerful mentors in Singapore. How do I know that? Because she knew herself, she knew what’s truly important in her own life, she knew what values she held, she knew how to succeed, she understood mentoring and she earnestly desired to help others achieve meaning in their lives and work. These are the hallmarks of a superb mentor. I may be a generation older than Grace, but I felt like a mentee when she spoke out passionately. This is perhaps the expression of a truth that coaches and mentors believe in: That people can, and should be coach and coachee, mentor and mentee to one another.
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