Why You Need A Mentor

Finding a Mentor 

Welcome back to the newsletter that helps you apply real-world practical tips that let you stand out amongst your peers. This week we will be talking about finding a mentor and how setting aside 60 minutes every week can change your life. Let’s dive in. 

Why Do You Need A Mentor? 

As straightforward as possible you need a mentor to gather inexpensive experience. These are lessons you can learn from without having to pay the price. The best ways to gather inexpensive experience are through books and mentors. 

As a high schooler who loved to work and make money, I could not wait to start my first job. The problem was that I had no idea what I wanted which is common amongst high schoolers. I did not have the time to test out every career path on my list so instead I reached out to mentors. My father connected me with his peers who cover various careers and I sat down with them to hear about the pros and cons of their career path. This gave me more information and allowed me to make decisions about my career that I am still following to this day. I share this story with you because the right mentor in your life should act like a guiding light in life. They have been in your shoes before and know the way out. By asking questions and uncovering the steps they took to get out, you will be able to gather valuable experiences without having to go through what they went through. By constantly gathering inexpensive experience through mentorship, you will not only help yourself but you will be more equipped to help your surrounding Tribe. 

How To find a Mentor?

The key to finding a mentor is finding a good mentor. You can go about finding a mentor by asking yourself this question: 

“Who is better than me at the skill I want to get better at?”

That is the only criteria for your mentor. Nothing else about their lives matters if you are able to spit out the bones that come with the meat. For example, I had a boss who was one of the best sellers I have ever met. He was articulate, confident, and knew how to get a deal signed. He had sharpened his craft in selling but his personal life was falling apart. By asking myself the question above I knew I could learn how to sell from him and if the conversation ever leads to personal life I knew to take every piece of information he shared with a grain of salt. By breaking down the question of “How to find a mentor” into “What skill do I want to develop?” you will be able to narrow your search and produce more fruitful conversations inside your mentorships.  

Find someone who is doing something better than you.  

How to Get a Mentor

Now we know the value of a mentor and how to find the right one, let's talk about how to get a meeting with them. 

The fact of the matter is that your future mentor is busy which is good they should be busy. But that will make it more difficult to get on their calendar that is why you need to make it hard for them to say no. You can do that by providing the least amount of resistance in your invitation as possible. For example, 

“Hey Mentor, this is Mentee. I want to develop my xyz skill and I know this is an area you have excelled at. Can we meet at xyz place on Tuesday at 12 to hear more about your journey? Lunch is on me. 

It is not rocket science but it is effective. Like we mentioned last week this is a great way to honor someone you admire while also receiving the insights they have experienced. But make sure you pay

 P.S. The majority of the time they won’t even let you. 

Practicals

The Problem: What is a skill you want to get better at? 

The Motivation: Why is that important to you and what are you will to sacrifice in order to get better at the skill? 

The Game Plan: Find someone who is better at the skill and ask them to meet. It can be over coffee or a meal. The most effective invitation is usually a quick 30-minute phone call. 

Wrap Up

By leveraging the power of a mentor you will be able to learn from their wins and losses. Allowing you to decrease the steepness of the learning curve for your desired skill. 

Go out. Get a mentor.