A mentor is someone who is where you want to be in the future, and can help guide you along the way. Mentors share their wisdom, lessons, and knowledge gained through years of experience. Many people, though, don’t see the need for a mentor. They assume they’ll figure things out on their own in their own time. And so we’ll dissect the question: what is the importance of mentors?

In our last episode with Michael Jones, he shared the importance and value of mentorship in his life. Chris and Stewart continue the conversation in this episode to talk about mentors - what it means to have one, what it means to be one, and how to get one. If you missed the previous episode, be sure to listen to that one first.

You might be surprised by this, but being a mentor can actually be more beneficial than finding one. There’s a common saying that the best way to learn is to teach. The same case can be applied to mentorship. The more you begin to teach and share with another person, the more you begin to reflect on and learn yourself. It can be extremely fulfilling and rewarding. Yes, mentorship does come with time, so it should be noted you need a bit of experience before jumping into it.

So what does it mean to have a mentor? For starters, you have someone who is happy to teach you and help shape you into the person you want to be. Your mentor is patient and dedicated to your success. You’ll always have someone to lean on and turn to when bumps arise.

How do you get one? Mentors are pretty much everywhere; you just have to know where to look. You could start within your network, local design meetups, or with a simple search online. In conversations you have, share your goals, your struggles, and your interest in a mentor, and sure enough, one is bound to appear.

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