Have you ever played a game where you used all the techniques and worked all the methods only to be beaten by the other person? Most of us have come face to face with such situations and are left in a blinding fog of confusion without even considering what happened and why.

The answer is in knowing the moves and how to play the game. The victory lies in the art of mastery. Most of us do not have all the knowledge we need to do our work, or run our businesses successfully. Things change too quickly. That's why we need to turn to others for guidance. Seek out the masters and ask them to share their moves with you. Find out what they do. Excellence leaves a trail. Model what they do. The answer to a simple question such as, "How do you ...? can be the foundation for life changing results that can empower you to reach levels of success beyond your wildest dreams!

Somewhere along life's way, I've met a few good people who are masters at what they do. Some were willing to take me under their wings and share their thoughts and ideas with me. I've learned how they do some of the things they do. I've also learned it's not enough to know how they do it. The key is knowing the dimension and level at which it is done.

If you want to expand your chances for mastery, consider a mentor. Your mentor can be a personal coach/consultant, professional advisor, a leader in your community or industry, or a seasoned business person. In a business organization, look to someone who is at least one level above you in the organization. It should be someone who can be a positive force in guiding you toward career advancement. If you're a business owner, look to someone who is a leader in your industry. In both situations, your mentor should be your advocate to higher goals and achievements.

Mastery is about all areas of your life. It's not all about work, and it surrounds your body, mind, and spirit. Decide to enhance all areas of your life, and look for mentors that can provide you with guidance in those areas. There's no law that says you can not have more than one mentor. You may find that you will gain the benefits of a broader awareness through the relationships of two or more mentors. Consider your goals and interests. Do you want to be a better salesperson? Look for someone with strong selling skills. Would you like to be a better negotiator? Find someone who does it well. If you want to develop a broader range of contacts in your industry or profession, choose a mentor who is a leader and widely known in your profession or industry.

If you can not find your mentor in person, find them in a book. If you can not work with your mentor in person, work with them vicariously. Read about them, study them, and find out how they do what they do. Learn everything you can about them. Let them speak to you through the pages of their works. Be alert to clues. Success leaves clues. Model their successes.

You may find that your mentoring and coaching needs begin to shift as your career or business moves forward. Therefore, you will always need to be on the look out for different levels as well as different forms of mentoring and coaching to meet your changing goals. The sooner you can uncover those areas where you need improvement, the sooner you'll assess precisely what you need to help you reach your goals. Then, you can go about gaining all the techniques, and working all the methods until you've mastered the art of the game. That's mastery!

Remember to give while you are receiving. Maybe you can be a mentor or a coach to someone along they way. Treat any mentoring relationship with care, and nurture it carefully. Remember, the mentoring process is not a "dumping ground for your personal grievances, frustrations, or social fill-ins. Always, Always, Always, look for situations to ask, "How can I help you?" You will soon discover how quickly "help" comes back to you.

I salute all those wonderful people who unselfishly shared with me, who were as concerned about me as they were about themselves. To them, and to many others like them who will cross your life's path, let's raise our glasses high. Here's To Mastery!

Other Articles by Barbara Davis:
Here's To Mastery!
Follow that Leader...
When Did I Say That?