MJ is Offering FREE Mentoring! (Version 2)

[MJ DeMarco]

Several times a week I get an email requesting a personal, one-on-one mentorship. Most of these emails are short-- so short that only question asked is "Do you mentor?" .. no information, no background, nothing!

First, if this is your effort, finding a mentor will be the least of your worries. What kind of effort can I expect from you if I accepted you to be a mentee?

No thanks.

Second, the rules of finding a mentor apply to real life, money, and contribution. If you're seeking a mentor, be professional, detailed, and demonstrate your value/potential value to the mentor. When you approach your mentor with a entitled, GIVE ME, TAKER attitude, expect to be ignored and/or your offer declined.

Third, don't ask them for coffee. If I accepted every "lets meet for coffee" I'd be a professional coffee drinker, drinking 10 cups a day seven days a week. Successful folks aren't usually interested in sitting in Starbucks talking to strangers. Reserve the coffee meeting for AFTER you've established a mentor/mentee relationship.

Fourth, want to really impress a potential mentor?

1. Take initiative.
2. Do without permission
3. Demonstrate value
4. Be authentic

Just to give you an example...

If you emailed me this, I'd seriously consider your mentorship, even though I don't do one on ones.

Hey MJ, I loved your book! I seriously think I read it 12 times.

Anyhow, I've been studying copy-writing now for 3 years and think I've gotten pretty good at it. I noticed your Amazon description for The Millionaire Fastlane and thought I'd give it a few hours and try my hand at improving it (although it's pretty good now.) Here it is:

[YOUR MODIFIED VERSION OF THE COPY]

What do you think? Please let me know and feel free to use it if you think it is better. Also, I was wondering, do you do any mentoring? I'd love to help you in your next project in whatever you got going as I am eager to work and expand my experience.

Thanks!
Joe Mentee.​

Assuming the modified copy was an improvement, don't you think THAT would get my attention? Notice the approach. Flattering. Careful not to insult (the Amazon copy). Value provided with no expectation for return. Demonstration of willingness to work-- not TOLD, but DONE.

Or how about this email?

Sup MJ, I'm looking for a mentor to show me the ways of success, interested?
​

Oh man, where do I sign up?

Examine both emails and tell me... who appears entitled, self-involved, and driven by what he can get. And who is driven by what he can give? This same dichotomy frames the challenge we have with money, with this forum, and with entrepreneurship... who is driven to GIVE? And who is driven to TAKE?

And finally...

As I mentioned above, I don't do one-on-one mentorships. Anytime I'm asked, I tell the person this:

I try my best to mentor thousands at the forum. I suggest you join there and follow me. (It's FREE). I am literally there EVERY SINGLE DAY and I usually contribute 3-4 comments PER DAY. Follow my posts and you'll feel as if you're being mentored by me personally.​

Know how many people actually do this and FOLLOW THROUGH? I can't name ONE. NOT ONE. However, I can tell you some folks on this forum have figured it out-- I notice some of my followers read EVERY post of mine, even if they're short comments.

So with that said, want to be mentored by myself? Or @Vigilante or @Likwid24 or @Vick or @AllenCrawley @Andy Black or @IceCreamKid or @Kak or @biophase or @Eskil or any other of the rockstars on here?

Follow us and read our every posts.

Here's how (compliments of @Jamie T)

1) Follow your guy/gal.
2) Bookmark your newsfeed. ​

This has been a public service announcement.

Good luck,
MJ

 

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[socaldude]

I would be willing to bet $10k that the majority of these email senders are: Young men.

Another reason why women entrepreneurs are sometimes more successful because they actually "get it".

We grow up in a very coddling social and education system where for the last 12 years you've been "told" how smart, awesome and successful you are. And yet you haven't earned jack squat and have no real world skills or knowledge. Not to mention you spent the last 20 years living with your parents, not having to worry about "bills" or the real world.

I love what the comedian Louis CK has to say about 20 year olds. Hilarious and true.

 

[Andy Black]

More people to follow are listed here.


Going back to what MJ's trying to get across in his original post...

Here's what happens when someone from team PRODUCER (give give give) is approached by someone from team CONSUMER (take take take):

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Did you know that I can mentor you? Over 1000 hours worth of mentoring?

IT'S HERE AT THE FORUM.

Are you going to take it? Or are you waiting for it to be spoonfed?

The difference between someone who MAKES things happen, and someone who HOPES something happens.

 

[Iwokeup]

You know the worst part about those "mentor me!" posts/requests?

You wouldn't know what to DO with the knowledge anyway because you haven't gone through the learning PROCESS that would allow proper application of the information.

Ask me how I know this...Hahaha

 

[Imgal]

I would be willing to bet $10k that the majority of these email senders are: Young men.

Another reason why women entrepreneurs are sometimes more successful because they actually "get it".

We grow up in a very coddling social and education system where for the last 12 years you've been "told" how smart, awesome and successful you are. And yet you haven't earned jack squat and have no real world skills or knowledge. Not to mention you spent the last 20 years living with your parents, not having to worry about "bills" or the real world.

I love what the comedian Louis CK has to say about 20 year olds. Hilarious and true.

I love you for thinking this way about women entrepreneurs, but personally I have to admit that I let down the side for a long time. My family isn't the most outwardly supportive, and don't have the same drive to succeed independently, that I do, which has acted as somewhat of a driver, but also I think held me back a lot.... I suppose I've had a perception that when times get tough, no-one is really that interested anyway so is it really worth it? The moment I stopped looking at everything from a me angle and focused on the bigger issue of doing something to help others. That's when it all changed.

Love MJ's suggestion here. I've had some great mentors I've been privileged enough to have one-on-one contact with, but each and every one of them began with my stalking and absorbing everything I could find on them. It meant when I actually approached them I wasn't looking for them to hand me over some blueprint, but came from a point of real respect for what they did and being able to ask key, targeted and concise questions to fill in the gaps. People really respect that and I'm sure has ended up getting me a lot more help than if I'd just sent a long "Wow, I think you're amazing, could you give me all the answers" type email.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Hey MJ, I have seen your post on Twitter. Would it be possible to download the copy of the pdf?

Isn't that the point of the post? How people aspire for the EVENT, but not the PROCESS? Asking for a PDF is wanting the event, while skipping the process by using someone else who went thru it. Kinda like wanting to look fit, but wanting someone else to do the diet and exercise.

The knowledge is out there and it's ripe for the taking.

 

[Imgal]

@Roli - I think a lot of people are probably in the same situation regarding how their family sees this entrepreneurial adventure of ours. It's always nice to have external reinforcement of what you're doing, but I have come to realise that it took me a hell of a long time to get the right entrepreneurial mindset and figure this game out. I've actually been pretty harsh in expecting it of others who aren't in the slightest bit interested in this path in life (which is fine if that is what you want from life - we all are different!)

I've also crashed and burned and sent some awful emails in my time so don't even let that bother you. I'd also feel pretty gutted if I didn't get a reply. The first shift was changing the way I emailed people (i.e. I actually stopped being lazy and was proactive in what I wrote and asked). The second though was how I framed it in my own mind. Obviously I would have loved to have got a response from everyone, but I knew that wasn't actually realistic so I framed what I was doing different. If I send an email now, then as MJ described in his post the first thing is I would look to add add some value to the person I was writing to. If I can't find something I will not allow myself to make up a half-hearted gesture. I just wait and usually something will become obvious. The second is to thank them and give them specific examples. I am grateful to these people and I want them to know why. It also makes me stand out from the rest. Finally I'll ask a question - one that I hope is pretty concise and targeted, but really let them know I expect nothing from them or even a reply. The truth is I get a really high success rate, but I don't go expecting it any more. My goal with this email is all about them. It's about trying to add value, whether it's through what I offer or just thanking them and reinforcing their awesomeness. Yes I'm writing it as a formula, but it truly does come from the heart that way and I think it shows.

It's not just something that works with mentoring. The moment I went from cold emailing potential clients for web design / marketing work from a "we offer this, this and this" to just sending them an email highlighting an issue on their site and giving them a solution with no pitch... well the response rate went through the roof!

 

[Lex DeVille]

I like this, since it sounds like how i used to be here. However, @SinisterLex , I know your intentions are grounded in Gold, but eventually you will realize, the people that do... will do regardless. Anyone that needs to be told this kinda shit, just doesn't have it in them. Those that make it have a drive deep inside to help other people, it's not an after thought. Good video though, sans cats.

What makes you think I haven't realized it already, and am just giving people what they want?

I never expected this to help anyone who doesn't have it in them. Just those who do, but may not realize it yet.

Everything I do I try to make sure it comes from a position of helping other people.

Sometimes that gets blocked by my own wants and desires. Not out of money chasing, but because that's life.

Then I need someone to say hey dumbass take off those rose colored glasses and get your shit straight.

I definitely agree with you. Helping people has to come first and it has to be real.

But I might not know it at all if others here hadn't said it a thousand times & indirectly led me to experience it first-hand.

 

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[masterneme]

PROCESS: Wow, a mentorship is openly available to me if I'm willing to put the time into it.
EVENT: Give me the PDF!

Do you know what's the saddest part of all this? These people don't realize how lucky they're, being surrounded with top notch information and with people giving the advise they need FOR FREE.

If they were on other communities they'd be scammed by greedy "gurus" and by crooked people who ask for money for widely available information that you can get in 10 seconds using the search function.

This is just another parallelism to how the real world works, some people just don't get it and will be the target of "smart" Internet Marketers or the typical Infomercial "guru".

It's like the guy wanting six pack abs:

-Joe Wantabs: Hey I want a six pack, what do I do?
-Forum guys: Eat less, lift weights an when you get below 7-10% body fat you'll get abs automagically.
-Forum guys 2: Follow the steps of any of these guides *paste links to some featured threads done by other people on the community*.
-Forum guys 3: Get this 10$ book on Amazon, I followed the program for 6 months and it worked.
-Joe Wantabs: OK but seriously I really want sexy abs, how do I get them?
-Mr. Rando McGuru: Hey I see that you really want those juicy sexy abs that will make you an instant supermodel magnet and bring you the success you deserve.

It looks that you're really passionate about abs and passion is 80% of the success!

Take a look at my brand new program called Shredded Core Abs Master, it has been developed for 2 decades with the help of retired CIA agents and exposes the 7 secret steps to real world ultra abs with no exercise and no diet, personal trainers hate me!

But you need to act now, subscribe to the program for 297/mo and enjoy a 75% discount, click on this affiliate link now or the opportunity will be lost forever!

P.S.: Prepare yourself for some side effects like having ginormous penis growth and being the center of the attention! Some people just can't deal with becoming a god, are you one of those losers?

If you're a winner ACT NOW, click on this affiliate link and enjoy being a physical marvel for as low as 97/mo.

 

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[MoneyDoc]

I guess I should delete my email...

Joking aside, I totally agree with the approach MJ laid out. That is exactly how I got my mentor. I provided something to him without asking for anything in return. I took initiative, I showed him his time won't be wasted with me.

So I guess, the effort you put into something, is what you'll get out of it. A 1 line email "can you show me how to make money", will get you a 1 word response "no".

 

[MJ DeMarco]

A new year it is, and new mentor requests we have... (**BUMP**)

 

[Kak]

I thought it was weird I got a bunch of followers at once! Now I get it.

And that Louis CK bit was amazing.

 

[LightHouse]

More people to follow are listed here.


Going back to what MJ's trying to get across in his original post...

Here's what happens when someone from team PRODUCER (give give give) is approached by someone from team CONSUMER (take take take):

I like this, since it sounds like how i used to be here. However, @SinisterLex , I know your intentions are grounded in Gold, but eventually you will realize, the people that do... will do regardless. Anyone that needs to be told this kinda shit, just doesn't have it in them. Those that make it have a drive deep inside to help other people, it's not an after thought. Good video though, sans cats.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Whow... I love it, but he seems to be a little bit nervous...

Sounds about right. Type 5's have deep core issues with fear and anxiety, especially when their competence is tested.

 

[DejanM]

For all those guys out there which are looking for a mentoring - here is a tutorial how to get not one but at least 10 multimillionaire mentorships for less then 300USD. I wish I had discovered this "secret" 10 years earlier - it would save me tons of "try and errors" .

Here is the "Secret"

A lot of successfull people wrote BOOKS which one can buy and follow or adapt the advice

My mentors are:

Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson)
Warren Buffett (Alice Schroeder)
Peter Thiel (Blake Masters)
Elon Musk (Ashlee Vance)
Jack Ma (Duncan Clark)

and of course @MJ DeMarco himself

and there are very much more. The only obstacle here is persistence. You need to read those books over and over again to fully understand what those people try to say to you. And of course afterwards you have to move your A§§ and get things done - this is something no one can do for you

So happy mentoring to everybody

 

[MJ DeMarco]

PROCESS: Wow, a mentorship is openly available to me if I'm willing to put the time into it.
EVENT: Give me the PDF!

You speak in riddles. I have a riddle for you...

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.

Sounds like time.

 

[Jamie T]

I'm a little embarrassed to say I didn't know that feature existed until @JamieT's post the other day.

But I've now had this bookmark set up and have been reading it pretty much every day. Pretty cool.

I didn't know there was a News Feed until about six months after I joined the forum. It was a good day.

Thanks @MJ DeMarco for making making a thread about this. Now I'll have to rewrite the email I was going to send you about getting some coffee..

 

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[Roli]

I love you for thinking this way about women entrepreneurs, but personally I have to admit that I let down the side for a long time. My family isn't the most outwardly supportive, and don't have the same drive to succeed independently, that I do, which has acted as somewhat of a driver, but also I think held me back a lot.... I suppose I've had a perception that when times get tough, no-one is really that interested anyway so is it really worth it? The moment I stopped looking at everything from a me angle and focused on the bigger issue of doing something to help others. That's when it all changed.

Love MJ's suggestion here. I've had some great mentors I've been privileged enough to have one-on-one contact with, but each and every one of them began with my stalking and absorbing everything I could find on them. It meant when I actually approached them I wasn't looking for them to hand me over some blueprint, but came from a point of real respect for what they did and being able to ask key, targeted and concise questions to fill in the gaps. People really respect that and I'm sure has ended up getting me a lot more help than if I'd just sent a long "Wow, I think you're amazing, could you give me all the answers" type email.

Wow, I really relate to your post, especially the first paragraph about your family, I too have been trying to follow successful people online, but am too embarrassed to make an approach, I've made one and crashed and burned. I know one isn't enough but my embarrassment comes from my age, I'm 43 and most of these people I want to approach are younger than me and I just think I'll come across as some old loser.

Anyway it's nice to know there's a practical use for cyber stalking

 

[MattR82]

A great reminder, thanks SinisterLex.

Every single day that I read this forum my frame of mind is shifting and improving.

 

[JuliaLV]

great! Now I can brag to everyone that MJ and other 'rockstars' are my mentors

 

[Castillo]

I'm new to the forum and so far everything I've read is helpful and informative. This post is no exception. Following now.

Question?
When reply to a post, it automatically copies the post in my reply box. Is this normal? I've been deleting them then writing my reply.

Scroll to the bottom of the page and use the reply box there, instead of clicking the reply button on a user's post.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Not sure if it's just me but the pictures on the initial post aren't working.

Thanks or the heads-up -- the images were calling from http vs https. Should be fixed now!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Question! Can I filter my newsfeed? I am not interested in reading every post @biophase 'like's (no offense bio), but I would like to read every post he writes!

Not that I'm aware of, but it is a good idea. Hopefully newer software upgrades will deliver such features.

 

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[LightHouse]

What makes you think I haven't realized it already, and am just giving people what they want?

I never expected this to help anyone who doesn't have it in them. Just those who do, but may not realize it yet.

Everything I do I try to make sure it comes from a position of helping other people.

Sometimes that gets blocked by my own wants and desires. Not out of money chasing, but because that's life.

Then I need someone to say hey dumbass take off those rose colored glasses and get your shit straight.

I definitely agree with you. Helping people has to come first and it has to be real.

But I might not know it at all if others here hadn't said it a thousand times & indirectly led me to experience it first-hand.

You have a solid point there, sometimes people just need that lift or someone to nudge them when they are spinning tires in the mud.

 

[Castillo]

A new year it is, and new mentor requests we have... (**BUMP**)

Not sure if it's just me but the pictures on the initial post aren't working.

 

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[Zedd9165]

This is such an amazing post here. I've joined the forum yesterday and I was stuck to my screen for like net 12 hours ready section by section, threads and posts and damn this a never-ending story and there is so much to learn in here.

With that said, I'm glad I've come across this thread and got to follow these amazing people Admin has suggested. I hope to stick around and learn from these people.

 

[Fastlane or Die]

Great post with examples!! Thank you!

Definitely appreciate all of the shared experience on this forum!

Just followed several people.

 

[SBS.95]

I'm a little embarrassed to say I didn't know that feature existed until @JamieT's post the other day.

But I've now had this bookmark set up and have been reading it pretty much every day. Pretty cool.

 

[Fox]

Excellent post. Thanks MJ

 

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