How to Find a Mentor
It’s easy for someone to tell you to get a mentor. It is another thing completely to go out to get one. Many in today’s world have forgotten the benefits of a personal one-on-one mentorship. Some choose to opt for more impersonal methods of self-development by watching videos, listening to podcasts, and reading blog posts and books. While these tools can be very useful, they can never be an adequate replacement for a mentorship.
But herein lies the challenge: how should you go about finding a mentor? In this post, I would like to offer some tips that might help you begin to tackle the rewarding challenge of finding a mentor.
The Posture of a Mentee
The starting point for anyone who hopes to find a mentor is to be the kind of person worth mentoring. At first, this might seem counter intuitive. After all, the whole point of a mentor/mentee relationship is for growth and self-improvement.
To enter into a successful relationship with a mentor, however, will require you to take only as much as you are willing to give. The first and arguably most important characteristic of a successful mentee is humility. Ideally, this humility is what drives you to seek out a mentor in the first place. It is the recognition that you have not yet fully become the person you wish to be.
This humility, when it is cultivated, will produce a willingness to learn. As a mentee, it can be tempting to try to prove to your mentor that you are worthy of respect. But this can be problematic when it causes you to become unteachable. If you have sought out a mentor, it should be with the aim of learning from them and growing in whatever areas you are looking to improve.
Finally, this teachableness should not simply be a passive one. Rather, you should actively pursue your mentor, taking advantage of every opportunity you have to learn from them. It can be easy to worry that our mentors will perceive us as clingy. But while it is good to be respectful of boundaries, you should trust your mentor to clearly communicate to you if they are under time constraints or if they are unable to help you with a specific request. In most cases, it is probably more likely that mentors would be happy to help more if it was clear to them that they were needed. Be proactive, both in your search for a mentor and once you have found one, and you will increasingly see the benefits of seeking out a mentoring relationship.
The Search for a Mentor
If you have come to see the importance of a mentor and are actively seeking one out, you probably have many of the qualities that make a person suitable for starting a mentor/mentee relationship.
But the actual search for a mentor is not always as straightforward. It will require looking proactively and in the right places. Begin by figuring out how you want to improve. Those hoping to improve a skill or advance in their field of business might look for older and more experienced professionals in these fields. There was a time when, for more professions, the normal way that novices learned their craft was through an apprenticeship, and the advantages to this model are clear. By finding a mentor who can help you to improve, you can enjoy many of the benefits of apprenticeship while supplementing it with additional resources.
Mentorship is not only for those hoping to hone a particular skill. Everyone, no matter their current life ambitions, can benefit from a mentor too. Older family members, friends, or church members could all potentially be great mentors who will guide you along the journey of growing in confidence, skill, and character.
No matter who you are or where you’re going, the search for a mentor is well worthwhile. Good luck!
