There is a lot of data out there that suggests many young adults are looking for mentors in their life. Not to tell them what to do, but to keep them on the straight and narrow. I love the analogy of life being a road, and the mentor's role is to help coach you so you don't end up in the ditch!

These roles are powerful and should not be taken lightly. I love how Jessie Graff just recently showed this kind of mentorship while sitting down with MIT students. The Ninja Warrior community is great about supporting each other, especially since it's very much an individual sport. You vs everyone. The people get it though. It's not about them. It's about the Ninja Warrior community.

That's how we all grow and get better. We challenge each other and encourage each other! It's not all sunshine and flowers. It's hard work and effort. Not just physically, but also mentally and obviously this is all time consuming. That said ... It. Is. Worth. It!

Younger kids are also hugely impacted by this movement! They are watching the Ninja community. They notice it's different. This is an opportunity for Ninjas to step it up! Kids are also heavily influenced by school and teachers. Day in and day out teachers care for kids by encouraging and challenging them to grow every day. This is impacting their lives greatly!

An example of such impact comes from Mrs. Dickens, a long time P.E. Teacher at Hansen Elementary where my kids attend. She always cared for students. She was outside before and after school saying "Hi" and "Bye" to kids, giving a high five or a hug! Even older kids picking up their younger siblings would make sure to get a hug as well! Mrs. Dickens was a fantastic teacher and mentor! She retired this past year, however her legacy lives on and the job of encouraging and challenging students is not done.

We recently had a chance to surprise our kids by inviting Mrs. Dickens over while they were building a backyard Ninja Warrior course! You see, Mrs. Dickens loved building obstacle courses in class! We live in Iowa, so it's too cold to play outside a decent chunk of the school year. How do you keep things exciting as a P.E. teacher? New obstacle courses!! As Mrs. Dickens came around the corner the look on the kids' face and their excitement to show her their course was a beautiful picture of the relationship Mrs. Dickens created out of her care for her students.

Go out today and be a friend, a coach, a mentor. Most importantly, make sure you are listening to them. Hear what they have to say and where they are in life. I promise you will both grow from this relationship. Find a mentor if you don't have a one. No matter what age you are. You are never too old or too young to learn, grow, and invest in others.