The Priceless Gift of a Lifelong Mentor: Who Are You Overdue to Thank?
- Brian Duff
- Oct 17
- 2 min read
I recently had the incredible chance to reconnect with a mentor from the very beginning of my journey here in Canada, back in 2012. Hearing about her own recent pivot point was the nudge I needed to reach out, and I'm so glad I did. This reconnection truly underscored a precious lesson: the right mentors are rare, and their impact lasts a lifetime.
Seeing the Person, Not the Title
When we first met, I was a "green" Post-Doc, fresh in Vancouver, navigating a new professional landscape while personally grieving my mother's passing. She, on the other hand, was a C-level executive. Yet, she never cared for titles; she cared about people.
She was genuinely curious about my story and what brought me to Vancouver. She nurtured a truly intentional culture of belonging, connecting with her team over beers after work and at social events.
As I grew in my career, our paths crossed more, and in every single interaction, she saw me, the person, first, and my role second. She was a champion and an advisor. I believe this is how she treated everyone; her curiosity about people and their stories was universal.
Generosity When Others Stay Silent
After I moved on, we naturally saw each other less. But when I started sharing my pivot into the world of coaching, she was one of the first to reach out with words of encouragement. She's the type of person who offers support when others simply stay silent.
During our recent catch-up, the conversation was as easy as ever, full of updates on her travels and aspirations for her next chapter. And then came the ultimate mentorship gift: an intentional, challenging proposal to help me with my own networking as I build my coaching practice.
It was a true demonstration of her generosity of spirit. It wasn't a fleeting thought, but a well-perused idea designed to challenge me in a "teach a man to fish" way. Even 13 years later, she still sees my joy in this new venture and wants to mentor intentionally.
The Daring Leader
I’ve reached out to other "leaders in the field" who know me, only to be met with silence. It's a pragmatic truth that many people calculate what you can offer them before they offer their time.
But not her! She is the daring leader and the caring, challenging mentor. She never saw titles, class, or roles. She saw the person, first and foremost.
That day, I had a realization: these mentors who come and go through the different seasons of life are truly precious. It inspires me to honor her example in my own work.
A Challenge to Ponder
This experience has left me incredibly grateful for her and for the profound, lasting power of genuine connection.
Who has been your lighthouse in your career or life journey?
Which one of your past mentors is overdue for an email, a phone call, or a simple text? Reaching out could not only rekindle a connection but inspire and ignite that fire within you again.
Let's all take a moment to acknowledge those precious people in our lives. You know who you are.
