we’ve all heard that we need a mentor in our careers. but when we think of trying to find one, the task seems daunting.

you don’t want to bother so-and-so. he/she is too busy. you don’t want to look dumb asking a question about something they know… blah blah

the truth is, you probably already have a mentor. that’s right. how else are you sitting where you are now?

mentors aren’t just one-offs. they are around you at work – sitting across the desk. they are younger. they are older. they’re the opposite sex. they’re the same sex. they are the people we take for granted. who help us – even if we don’t ask for help.

a mentor of mine is leaving the agency to go elsewhere. i knew she was a mentor early on, but we’ve never established ourselves on that level. afterall, she is my boss.

and, i know she has a mentor of her own [or many] – how else does a successful person get to where they are without someone to look up to?

i guess my mentor’s mentors would be like grand-mentors to me, or something.

bottom line is, you don’t really have to ask. you just have to show interest and be darn sure you aren’t bugging them all the time. a thank you card, a coffee date, a cool tip on an article you read – all are great ways to share with someone who’s helping you from a higher place.

afterall, what’s better practice for you? you’ll probably fill those shoes for someone else one day.