Three-Step Mentorship Development

A practical guide to building authentic mentor relationships without forcing formal arrangements.

Key Mentorship Principles

• Seeking a mentor is often a form of procrastination
  • Don't use mentorship as a prerequisite for taking action
  • Successful people find mentors along the way, not before starting

Three-Step Process for Natural Mentorship

1. Make Specific Requests

   • Ask for situational advice rather than general guidance
   • Present specific options you're considering
   • Ask them to poke holes in your thinking

2. Follow Up on Results (Critical Step)

   • Share what you did with their advice
   • Explain the outcomes
   • This is where 95% of people fail to maintain the relationship

3. Build Ongoing Rapport

   • Share unexpected challenges that arose
   • Demonstrate your problem-solving approach
   • By the third interaction, both parties will know if there's a natural fit

Signs of a Good Mentor Match

• Similar worldview
• Complementary personalities
• Mentor appreciates mentee's drive
• Mentee values mentor's experience
• Natural rapport develops without forced labels

Important Context

• Financial freedom makes mentorship easier
  • Less daily focus on immediate income
  • More ability to pursue interesting opportunities
  • Creates space for ideological freedom
  • Allows for better critical thinking development

The key is organic relationship development rather than forcing formal mentor/mentee labels upfront.