I’ve had a lot of mentors over the years, many of whom became dear friends. Each offered me a fresh glimpse of the world through new eyes. What I didn’t realize was that I did the same for them.
We think of the mentor-mentee relationship as one-sided, but it’s actually a two-way street.
True mentorships evolve organically. You meet someone, discover you want to learn from that someone, and make time to listen to that person. You don’t walk up to a complete stranger and say, “Mentor me.”
Because of this organic entanglement between mentor and mentee, both parties become friends. It’s inevitable.
The same things you look for in a mentor probably also rank high on your list of qualities to look for in a friend.
And friendships — healthy ones, at least, are never one-sided.
Nobody Has Your Perspective
The way you see the world belongs to one person: You.
Nobody can take it away or even borrow it. Maybe you share values, beliefs…