Do you have a mentor and what has it done for you?

[horndog]

Simple topic. Who here has a mentor in life? Someone you go to for guidance, a role model to which you aspire in character, abilities, profession, etc.

I find myself more and more just coming to styleforum whenever I need male input/influence on things beyond what I get from my same-age guy friends. I'm 26 for reference. Kinda bizarre now that I think about SF acting as a father figure almost (ok yeah, pretty strange). But I'm not close with my dad or any older, wiser guys, and I probably should be.

Who you got and what has the relationship done for you?

 

[acidboy]

a mentor told me never marry a girl far richer than you

 

[horndog]

Anyone?

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by horndog

Simple topic. Who here has a mentor in life? Someone you go to for guidance, a role model to which you aspire in character, abilities, profession, etc. I find myself more and more just coming to styleforum whenever I need male input/influence on things beyond what I get from my same-age guy friends. I'm 26 for reference. Kinda bizarre now that I think about SF acting as a father figure almost (ok yeah, pretty strange). But I'm not close with my dad or any older, wiser guys, and I probably should be. Who you got and what has the relationship done for you?

To answer your question seriously, I have no mentor, no role model, and very few people whose advice I would take seriously. It sucks. Always wished I had a mentor. There are just very few people that I know whom I "want to be like". I am sure there are plenty out there, but I just haven't had the opportunity to meet them yet.

 

[Reevolving]

Originally Posted by acidboy

a mentor told me never marry a girl far richer than you

Your mentor was an idiot.
If you like her, and you life a lavish lifestyle you haven't earned, and have a woman you like.
Or you divorce her, and you still life a lavish lifestyle you haven't earned.

I highly doubt his advice was based on the morality of the above.

 

[uhurit]

I did have 2 mentors at different stages of my career life who had been absolutely indispensable in showing me the ropes and sharing their practical wisdom. They also proved to be very good in connecting me with the right people later in life...we still keep in touch decades later

 

[SpooPoker]

In before the first Vox reference.

 

[RSS]

Yes.

It allowed me to retire early.

 

[deadly7]

Originally Posted by RSS

Yes.

It allowed me to retire early.

Your dad's trust fund isn't a mentor, brah.

 

[suzuka]

mentors are great, they're father figures with life experience in your field of work.

My mentor has opened doors for me and helped with salary negotiations ensuring I didn't land in a worst predicament. I have 3 mentors and each have been indispensable in helping me grow as a person.

 

[rjakapeanut]

not really a true mentor but i've tried to surround myself with friends who are smarter and better than me. that's helped me alot.

some of my teachers, definitely. the biggest thing they've done for me is keep me kind of....realistic. like helping me curb my enthusiasm when necessary. that's good.

 

[Milpool]

I have had a few different mentors. Right now, I'd say I don't have one.

Early on (undergrad), I had a grad student that helped me put pieces together in my education so that what I was doing actually made sense for a long term goal of being a researcher.

Later, I had mentors that were not in my area of expertise in any way, but were high level execs. They helped me learn the "career ladder" crap.

 

[fwiffo]

I've never gotten past the quid pro quo part of mentorship.

 

[RSS]

Originally Posted by deadly7

Your dad's trust fund isn't a mentor, brah.
Well ... that's true ... but I wasn't talking about a trust fund. I was talking about an architect that took me under wing during my early years of practice. He shared his knowledge of the profession ... knowledge that simply wasn't taught at school. As far as I'm concerned, that knowledge is what helped me have a successful career.

I no longer have a mentor ... he died several years ago. That said, I am aware that two young architects consider me to be their mentor. I've recently passed along my firm to them.

 

[Nouveau Pauvre]

Originally Posted by acidboy

a mentor told me never marry a girl far richer than you

This is insane. The only good advice my dad ever gave me was to "knock up a rich girl"