The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

How important is to have a mentor?

hayden0001

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
63%
Jul 23, 2016
49
31
38
Hi Guys

How important is to have a mentor? Did MJ have one? i can't remember from the book, so i'm guessing they will get you to the Fastlane life quicker discuss...
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,077
169,494
Utah
MJ have one?

I didn't have a mentor.

My mentors were books.

Every time I opened a book by Les Brown, I was being mentored by Les Brown.
Every time I opened a book by Tony Robbins, I was being mentored by Tony Robbins.
Every time I opened a book by Stephen Covey, I was being mentored by Stephen Covey.

Every time you open a book by MJ DeMarco, you are being mentored by MJ DeMarco.
 

Nomadic

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
194%
Jan 16, 2016
35
68
29
It's necessary, but like MJ said, when you read something from someone (even if it's a post on the internet) you ARE being mentored by them. You just have to switch your idea of exactly what you think a mentor is, and you'll realize that you probably already have quite a few. No one is without a mentor in today's time. If they are, it's by choice.
 

hayden0001

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
63%
Jul 23, 2016
49
31
38
I didn't have a mentor.

My mentors were books.

Every time I opened a book by Les Brown, I was being mentored by Les Brown.
Every time I opened a book by Tony Robbins, I was being mentored by Tony Robbins.
Every time I opened a book by Stephen Covey, I was being mentored by Stephen Covey.

Every time you open a book by MJ DeMarco, you are being mentored by MJ DeMarco.

Super stuff MJ

and people pay thousands for mentors......... :O(
 

Dylan_91

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
135%
Jan 28, 2017
94
127
Florida
Hi Guys

How important is to have a mentor? Did MJ have one? i can't remember from the book, so i'm guessing they will get you to the Fastlane life quicker discuss...

I’ve never had a personal mentor but I’m sure it’s great to have a one on one approach. I take advice from people I admire and who have accomplished great things. There are tons of videos or books of legitimate people who are doing what you seek. Find them and learn even if you never meet them.

Edit: I see MJ just mentored you here also! The books are great tools.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Raoul Duke

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
324%
Feb 26, 2016
2,209
7,149

socaldude

Saturn Sedan and PT Cruiser enthusiast.
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
212%
Jan 10, 2012
2,380
5,043
San Diego, CA
I don't think it's important to have a mentor but I don't think it hurts either.

It's always helpful to have someone give us constructive criticism from the outside because often times we are not aware of our own self-sabotaging behaviors. And other people can help us and give valuable advice.

But I do think it's important to strive for a mentality of independence. Where you stop looking for answers from other people and start coming up with your own ideas. In other words try creating value with your own mind rather than looking for ways to suck it from other sources. Try it and you will see that you will make tremendous progress.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
I think through out my life time I've had lots of mentors, but you can only go so far as the mentor's education, knowledge, insight, wisdom, and how far they've gone in life. As they say, when you're ready the teacher will show up in your life. Technically every person you meet is a mentor and teacher. It depends on how you look it at in life. As a Nurse Aide, I learned from the Traditionalists lots of good advice through their stories of the Depression and WWII, Entrepreneurs who were wealthy in different ways, and also the Middle Class and Lower Class. There's something to be learned from them all.

Everyone in this forum is a mentor and teacher. The threads are loaded with valuable information.

I did the same thing as M.J. did. I'm a Life Long Learner and of course every book you pick up, course, webinar, seminar, workshop is a mentor and teacher. What we both can tell you is the advice given isn't always good advice and you learn to decipher what is valuable and not valuable in your journey.

If you need someone to hold you accountable, the forum does this by you showing up and participating and adding value to the community.

If you want someone to hold your hand, pat you on the back, well Entrepreneurship isn't for you, because it demands you be a leader, stand on your two feet, take the reigns of your life, take charge of where you're going, and creating the desired outcome you choose to create. No one will do this for you.

If you need a coach we're all out there, but still it's all about you being independent, self-reliant, and finding your inner courage and strength to perform without someone being your security blanket.
 

fvcorp

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
308%
Nov 28, 2017
61
188
38
Canada
I've seen one-to-one mentorship turn into action faking, where ideas and businesses aren't progressing because the entrepreneur is waiting for mentorship.

For me personally, everyone is my mentor. Everyone I meet either teaches me what I should do more of or what I should stop doing.
 

gazzagb22

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
209%
Dec 25, 2017
11
23
59
GB
I agree, everyone teaches you something. Right or wrong, it's up to you what you take on board or discard. And it's OK to run with something and then realise it's not working or not for you. That's not a mistake, it's learning and seeing what is right for you. I think it's hard to know until you have done it. What works for one might not work for you. A good mentor knows that you have to learn by your own lessons. People have taught me the best way to do things and the worst. We absorb everything. It's up to you to choose what sticks... MJ is right with getting foundations right. Get your process in order and then you have the foundations for what ever you do.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ECLS18

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
150%
Dec 28, 2017
6
9
Vancouver, Canada
Hi Guys

How important is to have a mentor? Did MJ have one? i can't remember from the book, so i'm guessing they will get you to the Fastlane life quicker discuss...

Several folks have chimed in already with great inputs.

Mentors will help you shrink your learning curve which helps you save time.

I don’t have an active mentor but I do get mentorship from books, videos, forums, subject matter experts when I want to learn about a specific skill.

As a side note, a few times when I did have a mentorship session I always sent the mentor an agenda prior to the meeting to give him prep time even if he was an expert in the area. Following this approach greatly increased my ROI from the discussion and the etiquette was greatly appreciated by the mentor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Beatingtheodds

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
162%
Oct 24, 2017
26
42
31
England
I've yet to have a formal mentor, but i'd say they 'can' help as long as it's not to hold your hand through a process. Yes, a mentor can give you a bit of confidence when you're lacking it (*Reminisces about playing childhood sports*), but when the rubber hits the road, it's just you, and the lessons you've learned from them, books, life and any other serendipitous moment you may have had.
 

WJK

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
256%
Oct 9, 2017
3,115
7,961
Alaska
I have had many different mentors over the years. They have taught me a variety of different skills and points of view. One lady was my mentor for 40 years until she died 14 years ago. An ex-business partner and I did property flips, when they were called equity purchases starting about 35 years ago. We taught each other what we each knew then. Now we are sounding boards for each other. Some of my best mentor didn't know that they were teaching me something. It was the guys down the street doing everything, or something wrong. I also have read thousands of pages written by whole bunch of different people. My book collection is always available 24/7. Also, try teaching what you know to someone else. The act of mentoring is a good learning experience for the giver.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Tiger TT

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
198%
Dec 25, 2015
141
279
41
I didn't have a mentor.

My mentors were books.

Every time I opened a book by Les Brown, I was being mentored by Les Brown.
Every time I opened a book by Tony Robbins, I was being mentored by Tony Robbins.
Every time I opened a book by Stephen Covey, I was being mentored by Stephen Covey.

Every time you open a book by MJ DeMarco, you are being mentored by MJ DeMarco.
True.

And after someone gets to a level of profiency, I think it really helps to get personal coaching from one of those mentors.

Last year I got 6 days of personal training from one of my mentors.

He's one of the best in his field on the whole world. I've been watching his video trainings and applying this teachings for years.

And after I had 6 days of training with him, I saw what is really POSSIBLE in that area. He exceeded my expectations.

I also got advice tailored specifically for myself.

Also I was like "I can't believe I'm hanging out with this person! This is like a dream!"

I was happy and excited.

This also pumped up my self-esteem. Because I provided value to people and in return they said "thank you" by giving me money. Then I used that money to get training on something that I love to do.

I feel like I'm operating at the next level in terms of success.

I paid him a lot of money, but it was worth it.

So I think after someone gets to a level in an area, then s/he should get personal training.
 
Last edited:

Ninjakid

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
217%
Jun 23, 2014
1,936
4,206
Buddy Guy Eh
I used to say before that I never had a mentor because I didn't believe it was necessary, but now I see how untrue that is. I've done nothing by myself, and everything I've learned is because someone from before me has passed it on.

I'd be lost without the wisdom I've gained from the people here, there's too many of you to name, but I'm extremely grateful to everyone who's posted something, PM'ed me, or given me a hard time to snap me back into reality (which is why I'm on a radical giving away my rep spree right now).

But as for your question, you don't really need mentoring as in a one-on-one sense in which you have a formal contract with someone who's near you. But seek to connect with people who provide value. Entrepreneurship is kinda a lonely trek, so you need all the support you can muster!
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top