Right after disembarkment, the soldiers converge for briefing during which Colonel Miles Quaritch gives the ‘reassuring’ speech, “Out there, every living thing that crawls, flies or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes. As the head of security it is my job to keep you alive; I will not succeed. Not with all of you. If you want to survive you need to cultivate a strong mental attitude -you’ve got to obey the rules…”
My job is to keep you alive... I will not succeed with all of you...
I can never forget the story of a student who, after being told the answer to a question in the examination hall, asked his classmate to spell it again! Funny, isn’t it? But just like this fellow, many of us have turned our mentors into babysitters.
Coupled with mentoring is self-responsibility, a vital ingredient to success. So much as it is advised that you have a mentor, a substantial part of your success (or failure) depends on your own actions (or inactions).
A mentor is a buoy, keeps you afloat while it still remains your responsibility to paddle and flutter-kick (unless you’ve resigned to the will of the tides to sweep you to the littered creeks of Idumota!)
A mentor is a compass, points you in the direction, but you still have to do the walking, running or flying.
Mentoring can only serve as a multiplier for your personal efforts. And in a case whereby you have proudly put in zero effort, then mentoring cannot assure you of survival, let alone thriving or flourishing.
Please permit me to take the cue from Philippians 2:12; “Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Note that in the highlighted part, Christ our God-given mentor is making us realize that much more effort is required of us when He leaves the scene. Note the emphases on “much more” and “absence”. Tutelage is not an all-expense-paid-trip, at one time you will be O.Y.O (On Your Own) and at that point your survival will depend on your mental attitude no matter how much your mentor (babysitter) has invested in you.
Click here to see another lesson from my review of Avatar; the need for caution in The 3rd Lesson from AVATAR
