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Hello from gorgeous cow country in upstate NY! Welcome to a new series on building Resilience and Courage Through Story. (If this is the first you've heard of it, here's the rundown) Though it's been a hard year for all of us, there have been little joys here and there that if we stop to look, are actually not little at all. For us in cow country, one of them has been the mildest and most beautiful autumn in about ten years. It has allowed me ample opportunity to take long walks, during which I like to listen to podcasts and youtube channels. One of these walks gave me the chance to reconnect with one of my mentors, the late Sir Roger Scruton. In a wonderful video on the consolation of beauty, he reminded me that what we need so badly in our fractured modern world is the consolation that comes from an experience of wholeness within a community. This happens in different ways for different people. It can happen when we read good books. It can happen when we write in a specific genre or style. It can happen when we encounter ideas that inspire us to create or just to live more intentionally. That's why mentors are so important. They cut through the noise of the information overload that is our daily life. And they help us hone in on the really important stuff. But how to find the right one? I get into it in this new post. As part of this new series, I'll also be offering some of the best stories I find on the internet for readers, writers, and culture creators. 1. In an exploration of why we rely so much on experts, the Art of Manliness podcast encourages us to learn how to think for ourselves before we even start looking for a mentor. 2. Part of the problem in searching for a mentor is that we think we already know what we need. But our minds are very good at fooling us into thinking incorrectly. As Michael Hyatt says in this podcast episode, "Don't believe everything you think." 3. There are several practical guides on how to find a mentor out there, but this is one of the best I could find. 4. The secret ingredient, I think, of becoming a good mentee is recognizing that wisdom and consolation is most often found in an existing tradition. When it comes to literature and stories, there's no substitute for it. You need a canon. Next week, we'll be exploring the importance of solitude in our quest for resilience and courage through story. Thanks for joining me on this journey! ~Nicky PS If you found this email useful or interesting, please forward it to a friend! Nicholas Kotar, Author | PO Box 607, Richfield Springs
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