The real “shortcut” to success is mentorship. All the highly successful people you know have taken lessons from the greats. But how can you find the right business mentor for you, and for free?

Celebrities. Athletes. CEOs. They all pay top dollar for professional coaches, advisors, and specialized counsel.

But you don’t have to.

My Hot Take on Mentorship

What I’m about to tell you is not a conventional approach to mentorship. 

However, it is extremely effective, and it costs nothing but your commitment.

“Traditional” Mentorship Is Overrated

When many people think about mentorship, they envision a one-on-one relationship.

In the past, this was the standard. But in 2022, you have everything you need at the tips of your fingers.

You don’t have to sit down with someone you look up to in order to absorb the wealth of knowledge from their experience. You don’t even have to interact with them.

Realistically, the greatest mentors you could ever have are those you will probably never meet face-to-face. 

Even at my billionaire status, I do not have access to Warren Buffet — yet. But I consider him a mentor. 

The secret to finding a business mentor for free is to take advantage of the information age

You see, some of the richest people in the world are everywhere on social media. Take Elon Musk, for example. And even if they’re not active online, their success is a matter of public record.

The wealthy drop wisdom in interviews, articles, and big business moves. Your job is to pay attention, take notes, and repeat their successful actions.

Don’t Have Too Many Mentors

Too many cooks in the kitchen ruin the recipe. The same goes for mentorship.

There are as many opinions on business and success as there are people in the world.

However, one person’s method may not work for you. You need to find someone who aligns with your ethics, goals, and mindset.

Ideally, you should keep your eyes on one to three leaders you can learn from. If you stretch your attention to more than that, you’ll get confused and stop moving forward.

The purpose of mentorship is progress. 

Don’t get sidetracked. 

They’re Not Always Right

In contrast, just because someone is successful doesn’t mean they have the answer to everything. 

When studying a leader’s content, you have to pick the insights that are relevant for you

To continue my own example with Warren Buffett, I may not agree with all of his investment vehicles, but I’ve adapted his principles to work for me. 

Keep your needs in mind before you choose your mentors.

THE GAME PLAN: The 5 “W’s” to  Find a Business Mentor for Free

Now that I’ve introduced you to the non-traditional approach to mentorship, here’s how to find the best business mentor for your needs — all for free.

Why? Figure Out Your Mentorship Goal

First off, ask yourself some very important questions:

  • What challenges are you looking to solve with the help of mentorship?
  • In what personal and professional areas do you want to grow?
  • How can you apply this mentor’s insights to your business goals?

When you have a clear goal outlined, you’ll already be one step closer to picking the right mentor.

Who? Paint a Picture of Your Ideal Mentor

After clarifying your “why”, you’ll likely have some names in mind. This is where you need to get specific and finetune your shortlist according to your requirements.

Therefore, the next set of questions you should be asking are:

  • Is this person a thought leader in my industry?
  • Do they share my ethical code?
  • What could I learn from their business journey?

Zooming in on your ideal mentor will give you the roadmap to success.

What? Outline the Resources You Need

Once you have your mentor, the next step is to think about their library of material that you could access. 

While social media content is a no-brainer, think outside of the box to find hidden gems.

Here are just a handful of examples that could serve as key resources for you:

  • Media: interviews, op-eds, feature stories, YouTube videos
  • Programs: webinars, courses, training modules
  • Books: (auto)biographies, eBooks, audiobooks, etc.

As you discover more about them, you’ll get a better understanding of what actions they took to achieve financial freedom.

When? Lock in a Schedule to Hold Yourself Accountable

Success is your duty, obligation, and responsibility. Whether you like it or not, the results of mentorship rely on you — and you only.

Although this approach to mentorship won’t cost you a dime, you will have to be consistent for the process to be effective.

Your job is to hold yourself accountable for your development. By sticking to a schedule, you’re keeping the information in the front of your mind so you will use it. 

While time commitment will vary from person to person, here’s an example of how you can plan your own mentorship program:

  • Monday: read an article written by or about your mentor
  • Tuesday: complete one module of a training program or course (if available)
  • Wednesday: read one to three chapters of a book written by or recommended by them
  • Thursday: watch an interview, keynote, or documentary
  • Friday: listen to 30 minutes of an audiobook
  • Saturday: watch a webinar or another type of long-form video content 
  • Sunday: listen to a podcast, whether hosted by them or where they’re invited as a guest

I recommend waking up an hour earlier than usual to complete your daily mentorship task. This way, you won’t be tired after work — and you’ll start the day energized. Of course, if you’re more of a night owl, feel free to adjust your schedule so it works for you.

Regardless of your preferences, make sure no day goes by without investing time in your personal and professional development. 

Where? Map Out Opportunities to Dive Deeper

To take your commitment to the next level, ask yourself how to go beyond your scheduled training time. 

In addition to the resources you study on your own, you can dive deeper into mentorship with opportunities like:

  • Conferences: where your mentor is a guest speaker or industry-leading events
  • Workshops: practical application of the knowledge you gain
  • Communities: especially online ones, such as specialized Facebook or LinkedIn groups

What do all of these opportunities have in common? 

A powerful networking component. 

Here, you can connect with likeminded people who also share the same mentor.

Additional insights are always welcome. And when you’re on the same page with these people, it’s easier to exchange information and learn how to apply it in new ways. 

Why I Want to Be Your Free Business Mentor

All in all, mentorship has been on my radar for as far back as I can remember. 

When I was a kid, I was desperate to have a mentor in my life. My father died when I was 10. Then, I turned to my brother, who later passed away in an oil rig accident. That left me without guidance or a role model to look up to.

I knew I had to do whatever it took to succeed. But I didn’t have access to the resources that would show me the steps I needed to take. 

So, I made a promise that if I made it, I would show others how to do it.

Since then, for over 40 years, I’ve been grinding, studying the greats, taking massive action, making mistakes, and learning from them.

Today, I can proudly say I made it. Now it’s time to make good on my promise.

The truth is that I can’t be everywhere all at once. So, I figured out a way to create something meaningful that anyone can access. 

Recently, I wrote and recorded the 10X Mentor audiobook to mentor you wherever you are in the world — for free. I purposefully made it so it could fit into any mentorship schedule with ease. You can listen to a chapter a day for 30 days, or you can binge it all at once.

Anyway, as long as you’re continually investing in yourself, you’re already miles ahead of the game. 

Maximize the time you spend, the lessons you learn, and the opportunities to utilize all the insights you gain from mentorship.

Be Great,

Grant Cardone

Disclosure: This content is intended to be used for educational and informational purposes only. Individual results may vary. You should perform your own due diligence and seek the advice from a professional to verify any information on our website or materials that you are relying upon if you choose to make an investment or business decision. Investment, real estate, and business involve great risk and there is no guarantee of performance or results.

We are not attorneys, investment advisers, accountants, tax professionals or financial advisers and any of the content presented should not be taken as professional advice. We recommend seeking the advice of financial professional before you invest, and we accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage you may incur.

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Star of Discovery Channel’s “Undercover Billionaire,” Grant Cardone owns and operates seven privately held companies and a private equity real estate firm, Cardone Capital, with a multifamily portfolio of assets under management valued at over $4 billion. He is the Top Crowdfunder in the world, raising over $900 million in equity via social media. Known internationally as the leading expert on sales, marketing, and scaling businesses, Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author of 11 business books, including “The 10X Rule,” which led to Cardone establishing the 10X Global Movement and the 10X Growth Conference, now the largest business and entrepreneur conference in the world. The online business and sales educational platform he created, Cardone University, serves over 411,000 individuals and Forbes 100 corporate clients throughout the world. Voted the top Marketing Influencer to watch by Forbes, Cardone uses his massive 15 million plus following to give back via his Grant Cardone Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring underserved, at-risk adolescents in financial literacy, especially those without father figures.

3 COMMENTS

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