In the past, I have always believed I needed people to help me get better at what I do. I waited, persevered with time, hoping that special one will come to help me in this journey of self-actualisation.

Although, we have always been told to have mentors. I have tried to hook myself up with people, requesting their assistance in this journey of creating the extraordinary me. I longed for their inputs – ideas or pieces of advice but never wanting to become a burden – thinking these people will use their church mind and call or message me one day to say, “Fisayo take this steps…” Sincerely, my waiting on people’s assistance or input was a mere fantasy to the success of my writing journey.

On a fateful day I took the bull by horn then I began the oiling of the wheel. I had access to the internet, I started googling and jotting in a jotter I got, then typing my thoughts on my laptop and then reading up stories from accomplished writers and thereby imitating them.

I know a number of us are in this dilemma of wanting a mentor. Yes, we all need a mentor or a friend who knows better but when you do not have them what happens to this interest? Never delay what you can accomplish by yourself for someone you do not know or have not met.

Some people you think are the right role models or mentors lose interest when your own demand of them, clashes with their own duty at work or at home.

As an individual who aims to attain a level of relevance and prowess in what you do, then you need to invest in what you can do for yourself which strongly includes SELF-TEACHING.

Self-teaching involves reading, practice and making do with any resources you can find valuable for you.

I would like to close this discourse with a question I asked on Quora.com and my respondent did great justice to it: “To develop a particular skill of interest, should one rely on people’s help?” My respondent Jake Voorhees, Founder at The 1% Engineer Society writes, “Sure. This is what mentors, advisors, and professors are for. However, you cannot replace individual execution and practice. You can learn from someone else till the end of time, but you will not learn things yourself until you do things yourself!”