In one of my classes last week we were talking about the importance of mentors in our lives. It took me a while to think of a consistent mentor who has helped encourage me throughout my life. In essence, my experience with a mentor has revolved around persuasion techniques utilized by my mentor attempting to persuade and encourage me to continue a behavior. The textbook mentions how important coaches, parents, employers, therapists, etc. are in our lives and how such figures will always be there (for the most part) to lend a convincing hand. A lot of the time these convincing attempts serve as an efficacy booster for me, the mentee.
I have grown up in a musical family all my life, and I have also grown up playing the violin. There have been countless times throughout my life where I have wanted to give up and quit playing the violin. These sentiments mostly burgeon from my dissatisfaction with practicing the damn instrument. But, as we all know, "practice makes perfect." Unfortunately for me, I did not want to be a "perfect" violinist, let alone become that prodigious of a player. Fortunately, however, I had a set of encouraging parental figures who have continually given me the positive feedback and support necessary for me to continue my practices, at least all throughout high school and into my first couple years in college. My parents always knew that I didn't really want to quit. They were also well aware that practicing did not come easy for me, nor did it enlighten me. But, they always found creative ways to build up my self-efficacy, with regards to my violin playing skills and habit formation. Consequently, I know have the desire and intrinsic motivation to play the violin. I have played in the UNI orchestra all but one semester and I am a violinist for a post rock instrumental band in Cedar Falls.
Who have been positive role models/mentors in your life?
In what areas have they impacted you and encouraged your own self-efficacy?
My dad's first boss after college was Dr. Preacher. He was a widower whose children had already moved out and away. He almost immediately became a friend of my parents, and my brother, sister, and I grew up with him as another grandpa. Eventually, he took me to England with him, and the trip inspired me to go back some day. He also gave us kids money for college with the condition that we, in turn, had to do the same for others some day. His five brothers became farmers to put him through medical school, and he strongly believed in both higher education and financially supporting those in college.
Because of him, I fulfilled the goals of going to college, returning to Europe (France this time) last semester to study abroad, and I fully intend to donate money for scholarships laster in life.
Role models certainly are a great way to motivate us into obtaining goals - along with being a great movie.
I would have to say that my mom has been a positive role model and mentor in my life. She has been living on her own since she was 17, and has worked for everything she has. She has taught me the value of hard work and to not be ashamed to ask for help. She is always there cheering me on when i accoplish something big in my life. She taught me to set long term goals and to actually go after them, and not to be afraid to fail (and try again!). She was a big motivating reason for me going to college and when i am stressed out from school and feel like everything is getting overwhelming, i can turn to her to vent about it.
To me she has been a great role model because not everything in her life went exactly right, but she has made the best of everything with a positive attitude.