How Do I Find A Mentor

This is one of the most commonly asked questions that I always receive.

• Do I find someone I admire (respect) and just ask him/her to be my mentor?
• Do I cold call?

Granted that there are many more ways now to seek out advice and support, it also very much depends on which phase of your life you are at, what kind of mentor you are seeking out, and what role you think a mentor should play in your life. These 3 questions are important for every one of us to figure out first.

It is also worth noting that we can have more than one mentor in our lives.

Generally, a mentor should be someone who

1. is successful in the area that you are intending to improve so that he/she can point you to the right resources/ provide relevant guidance
2. can hold a safe space for you
3. you can learn and potentially model from

Please be mindful that a mentor is

1. not accountable for your life
2. not here to make decisions for you

With that in mind, it is entirely on you

1. to take ownership of your life
2. to be proactive in your conversations with your mentor(s)

Back to the question, if your focus is placed on bettering yourself every single day, and being visible to the people you want to be mentored by, then my answer is,

One never find a mentor, rather, the mentor will find you.

Becoming Irreplaceable?aims to empower fellow professionals to build sustainable and meaningful careers, this is definitely one way for us to increase our own happiness index! It is really about taking the control back.