Who is Your Champion?

Having mentors is an incredibly effective way to build your network and to learn important information that will help you make better decisions. However, I've never heard anything mentioned before about finding and building a relationship with a champion (a super-mentor).

I define a champion to be:

1. Somebody who has almost the exact character, lifestyle, and/or degree of success that you would like to have in the future.
   
2. Somebody who is a well-respected, well-networked industry leader.
   
3. Somebody who is in an industry that you want to be in right away or in the future.

1. There is a much larger time commitment. This means potentially meeting at least one time a week or every other week. It also means that having more than one or two champions might be unrealistic.
   
2. Larger Commitment to Learning About Them. This means reading everything they've ever written and trying to see them whenever they talk publicly.
   
3. Becoming a Right-Hand Person. This means becoming somebody they can trust without a doubt and that they can talk to and throw ideas off of. It even means being proactive in sending them memos that will help them professionally and/or personally.
   
4. Realizing You're a Part of Their Legacy. Similar to a relationship with a parent, you growing from their help brings fulfillment.
   
5. Often Goes Beyond Lunches. This means becoming part of their family and life outside of business. It also may manifest itself in a friendship, apprenticeship, working as their assistant, and/or shadowing them.