Guinness World Records has launched its first ever Mentor Scheme, as new research reveals over half (60%) of Brits have given up on the ambitions they had when they were younger.
The scheme, which launches today, aims to help inspire the next generation and support them in achieving their goals. Children aged 11-18 can enter to win a place on the programme, where six young people will each receive up to four one-to-one sessions with an existing Guinness World Records holder.
Each mentor will bring their skills and knowledge to help ignite the teens imagination and boost their confidence to help them turn their dreams into a reality. Jesse Dufton, who was the first blind person to lead a climb of Old Man of Hoy, impressively doing so on his first attempt with no practice, and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, who featured in the 2023 Guinness World Records book for most times to squat lift own bodyweight in one minute (female) are among the six mentors involved.
With less than two in 10 (18%) achieving their childhood dreams, Millennials are the most likely to have given up on their ambitions (64%), closely followed by Gen Z (62%). Not having the confidence (29%), and not knowing where to start (21%) were among the biggest reasons overall for Brits giving up.
Whilst friends and family members are often the biggest supporters, eight in 10 (80%) claim they didn’t have an external mentor that wasn’t one when growing up. As a result, almost a fifth (19%) of those who have given up on the ambitions that they had when they were younger feel they didn’t have any guidance on how to achieve them. Had they had an advisor in their younger years, 45% would have followed a different career path, or pursued the ambitions they had growing up (42%).
For 29% of those who did have an external mentor that wasn’t a friend or family member, they cite them as the main reason they followed the ambitions they had growing up. While a further quarter (25%) are still in the career they wanted to do when they were younger.
Guinness World Record holder Victoria Evans who is known for her epic achievement as the fastest woman ever to row across the Atlantic Ocean solo in just over 40 days, will be helping to show her mentee that with hard work and resilience, anything is possible. Lee Spencer has also signed up to the Mentor Scheme, having achieved the longest distance rowed solo by an amputee. Meanwhile Guinness World Record super fan and record winner Martin Rees, who completed 20 magic tricks while submerged in a tank of water in 2020, will be sharing his tips and tricks, having been working on his skills since he was just four years old.
Lee Spencer, mentor in the Mentor Scheme, and Guinness World Records Holder for Longest distance rowed solo by an amputee, commented: “I remember when I was younger getting the Guinness World Records Book and being inspired by all the amazing things that people had achieved. I didn’t have any positive role models in my life at the time, and any thought that one day I would be a Guinness World Record holder myself was beyond my wildest dreams.”
“Having the opportunity to inspire and help a young person in a way that I wished I had been is a huge privilege, and I hope the Mentor Scheme will open doors for young people that they wouldn’t have thought possible before. It almost certainly won’t happen straight away, but working hard and picking yourself up again even during challenging times is all part of the journey. Dream big, never give up, and it will happen.”
The dedication isn’t all lost, as 29% of Brits reveal they haven’t let go of their adolescent goals just yet, believing they will still achieve some of their childhood ambitions within the next four years (3.7). In fact, a third (33%) have taken on a new challenge in the last year, with one in five (22%) motivated by recent major sporting events like the Olympics, UEFA European Football Championship, Wimbledon, or the Football World Cup. Meanwhile, in the rising digital age, 17% of Gen Z say they look to social media as motivation for taking on a challenge.
The research went on to reveal the top dreams Brits had when they were younger were travelling the world (23%), running their own business (17%), and helping other people through their work (9%)¹.
Jason Auld who also featured in the pages of last year’s Guinness World Records book for his record of the heaviest single weight lifted by barbell overhead press while riding a unicycle is another mentor taking part in the scheme, and will be sharing his experiences and tips from some of the many people he has been mentored by.
Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at Guinness World Records said: “For over 70 years, Guinness World Records has aimed to inspire the next generation of record-breaking superstars, no matter the barriers that may stand in their way. It’s disappointing to see from the research that so many people have given up on their dreams before achieving them because they didn’t have someone to coach them.”
“We want to harness the expertise of our record-breaking community and we hope this scheme will help the next generation to aim high and follow their dreams.”
