A great mentor won’t actually do the work for you, but he or she will help you develop your own opportunities. Here’s how.

I have been blessed with some great mentors. They were smart, experienced, and always had my best interests at heart–but they weren’t gentle. Probably each person gets the style they need from their best mentors, and mine were tough because I needed it.

GRANT CARDONE

NAMED THE #1 MARKETER TO WATCH IN 2017 BY FORBES MAGAZINE.
​BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE 10X RULE
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ERIC THOMAS

PH.D.
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR, WORLD-RENOWNED SPEAKER, EDUCATOR, PASTOR
AND AUDIBLE.COM AUDIE AWARDS FINALIST.

LESS BROWN

sHoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars.
— Les Brown
One of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers ​

Here are a few things I learned:

1. Listen Well

The best mentors ask lots of questions. They get information before making recommendations. I remember conversations with one of my great mentors during which he peppered me with questions for a long time. At the end of the interrogation, I asked him, “Well, what do you think I should do?” His answer was very telling: “You just figured out what you should do; you just haven’t committed to doing it.”

2. Guide, Don't Do

My mentors might have recommended I contact someone, read a book, visit an exhibit or change a course of action–but they did not make the call for me, buy the book for me, take me to an exhibit or dictate a change of course. All of that was on me.

3. Be Action Focused

That leads me to the most important thing my mentors taught me: Take massive imperfect actions. It will never be perfect at the beginning but as long you keep pushing past your limits and focus on improvements you will achieve your goals.

Dani Johnson
An American rags to riches story

The People's Shark
Daymond John

Lisa Nichols-From a struggling single mom on public assistance to a millionaire entrepreneur.

John Calvin Maxwell

American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership.
Titles include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.
​His books have sold millions of copies, with some on the New York Times Best Seller List.