Transcending the Paramount Mentoring Challenge – The Ultimate Task of the Mentee

“When you meet the Buddha in the road, kill him”

From the moment we are born, humans attempt to strike a balance between achieving independence from our mothers in navigating our environment and recoiling from challenges in her loving nurturance, protection and guidance.

Along life’s journey, if we are fortunate to be mentored from a wise teacher whether it be a professor, spirirual guru or experieced colleague, we repeat the same mother – child dynamic.

The interplay of independent navigation of the world and protection from difficult choices is endemic to the human experience at all ages.

Nevertheless, the mentoring relationship whether it be from mom or a trusted mentor, at a certain point wanes in effectiveness, gradually thwarting the process of developing competency and resiliency.

Over-reliance on even the greatest of teacher interferes with the mastery of navigating personal and professional challenges.

In order to fully self actuallize mentally , professionally and spiritually, we must kill the Buddha.

We can’t embark on life’s great journey without sage guidance and connection ; however life’s most meaningful tasks cannot be completed in their shadows.

Courageously taking personal responsibility, not under the tutelage of the more experienced, is the only way to transcend challenges into opportunities for growth. Therefore, when we meet the Buddha on the road we must (figuratively) kill the Buddha.

With courage, integrity and ownership of our decisions we take two steps forward , one-step back, knowing that our self-reliance is the only way for optimal growth and progress in this life.