Why I Mentor: Mike Christensen

This Is Why I Mentor Series 

A series to share, educate, and inspire others with mentoring stories.

We have all had one in our lives…. Someone we look up to. Someone we call when we have questions, concerns, and frustrations. Someone who provides sound and nurturing wisdom. Someone we can expose our true selves to and still feel supported. Someone we can hunt with. Someone we can fish with. Someone we can spend time with. A mentor.

This series is meant to be a way to educate and motivate you to give back to others. It is designed to inspire you to become a mentor. It is a reminder to thank your mentor. Hopefully the advice and stories shared here will leave you nothing short of empowered!

Mentor: Mike Christensen

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN MENTORING?

17+ years!

WHAT DOES MENTORING MEAN TO YOU?

Mentoring means helping another find their way. Spending time with them that will give them insight into matters they don’t have otherwise.

WHO WAS/IS YOUR MENTOR?

I was involved with a couple of software start-ups before getting involved with Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors and our main investor was a key mentor in my career.

WHY DO YOU MENTOR?

Mentoring is not something I had ever considered doing. I was busy with my career and raising my 2 boys. But this opportunity came up to create an outdoor mentoring program at just the right time and it seemed like the thing to do. I was really interested in getting more kids opportunities to learn to hunt.

HOW CAN SOMEONE ELSE MENTOR?

There are several great mentoring organizations, along the lines of BBBS that have kids that really need someone in their lives to help them achieve the best they can.

WHAT IS YOUR ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BECOME A MENTOR?

Don’t over-think it. Just be yourself and share your experience with a kid. Do it!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MENTORING MOMENT?

Having done this for 17+ years, there have been so many! So many kids getting their first deer, pheasant, turkey, duck, dove, bass…it’s great each and every time it happens. Seeing them light up with self-confidence and pride is really an amazing thing to be a part of.
One young man I was deer hunting with shot and dropped a nice doe. I turned to give him a high-five, and he reached out and hugged me instead, as he was so overcome with emotion. That was a really special moment.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A MENTOR AND TRYING TO SHARE YOUR PASSION FOR HUNTING?

I’m not a real talker and with some kids, especially with the first young man I mentored, it has been difficult getting them to talk. Maybe it’s the age difference. But regardless, spending the time together has allowed us to get by that.