What does it mean to be a mentor? Simon Sinek

So, we get a lot of questions about being a mentor. What does it mean to be a mentor, will you be my mentor, will I be your mentor? Things like that. Here's what I've learned about mentorship. Mentorship is not something you ask somebody to do like, "Will you be my friend?" It doesn't work like that.

When you find somebody you get along with you share values, you share beliefs. You spend time with them, and you get to know them. You develop trust, you're vulnerable with them, and you open up to them. And you discover that you become friends, it's what happens. You start off as simply acquaintances. In my experience, mentorship is exactly the same.

There were people who were much more experienced than me who had wisdom that I didn't have and when I would call them, they would take my calls. And when I would ask them questions, they would always take the time to give me answers. And over the course of time, they became my mentors. Like they became my friends.

And I remember one time I was with one of my mentors, Ron Bruder, an amazing guy, and I was leaving his house and I put my arm around him and I said, "You know, I'm glad you're my mentor," and he looked at me and he said, "I'm glad you're mine." And it caught me completely off guard.

True mentorship, like true friendship, is not a one-way street. It's not about one person only giving advice to the other. Both people are showing up to give and both people are showing up to learn. But you can't ask someone to be your mentor, especially someone who's a total stranger, knock on their door and say, "Will you be my mentor?" if they don't know you and you've never met them.

It's like friendship. You cultivate a relationship and if that person is always there for you and wants to see you thrive and succeed and believes in you, then perhaps they will become your mentor, like making a friend.