Mentoring Cayman Annual Luncheon 2020 - Keynote Speaker's Address

Title: The Value of Mentorship By Samuel Young Jr Whether we realize it or not, whether we accept it or not, whether it has been told to us or not, each and every one of us have a responsibility to mentor – at one point or another in our lifetime. Life, as we know, has many moments where valuable lessons are taught and learned. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad – but all necessary. But what exactly is a mentor? It’s a “wise and trusted counselor” or “an influential sponsor.” Granted, most people look at age as a deciding factor in mentorship. However, I’m of the persuasion that we ALL can learn amazing things that will impact others – and that’s regardless of age, gender, background, or affiliations. My name is Samuel Young, Jr. and I can’t express how grateful I am to stand before you today. I’m a business owner, a brother, a friend, and a very much so loved family member. I’m a person who believes in the power of health and fitness, and I’m also an advocate for believing in yourself. But I have to be honest. There is no way that I could be as successful as I am, and as diligent on my path as I am, had it not been for mentorship. I can remember when I began my journey in entrepreneurship. At the time, I may not have known that this was the genesis of my destiny, but I can look back now and see that it was. I remember being a young boy and awaiting my father’s return from the weight room. This was something he loved to do and did it often. Naturally, I was curious as to why this was such a big deal for him. It wasn’t until I was older and started training in the weight room with him that I began to see the passion and consistency he had. Then I, too, felt like I could do anything and accomplish any goal I set my mind to accomplish. But it wasn’t just to do anything; it was to do that thing, which I was excited about the most. You see, my father’s passion and diligence mentored me when he didn’t even know it. It made me believe and see that hard work was necessary but that any goal was attainable when you made up in your mind that that’s what you wanted. And this led me down a path of implementing effective planning for the career in health and fitness that I desired. But it all started with a seed. And THAT is the epitome of mentorship. That is the value of mentorship. It’s all about the planted seeds. We all are familiar with the process of sowing and reaping. We know, even if we’ve never worked on a farm, that the ground has to be tilled and a seed must be placed in the soil. We know that watering and sunlight play an important part in the growth and sustainability of that