How do I Find a Mentor?

I listened to a recent podcast of yours, and one thing that really stayed with me was the part about finding mentors. It’s a theme that keeps coming up every time I speak to women in business.

It sounds wonderful in theory; I recently started a new business venture, and I could definitely use some guidance from someone who’s been there. But how exactly do I find a mentor?

Ah, the search for the elusive mentor!

The wise guru who has the answers to our dilemmas, who understands our exact challenges because they’ve been there and have found the way. Where are they all hiding?

Unlike in storybooks where there is a wise octopus hiding in a cave holding cryptic messages that promise the answers we seek, real life is a bit more like a walk along the shore. If we look closely, we can pick up gems along the way, and if we’re especially lucky, we find a set of footprints or two to follow.

There are three categories of mentors: The ones you’ll never meet, the ones you’ll pay to meet, and the ultimate mentor who meets you where you’re at, and becomes personally invested in your success.

But don’t just wait for the ultimate mentor to show up. Start by following people who you probably will never meet in real life. Find two or three public figures in your field who you admire, and then consume everything they have to offer — books, podcasts, speeches. You’d be shocked at how much you can learn from a person without their ever knowing that you exist. Yes, it’s a one-way relationship, and you may be one of millions following them. Nevertheless, it’s an excellent way to adopt beliefs and practices that can be life-changing.