When we start out we often don’t know where to begin.
How to improve.
How to become adequate.
How to become skilled.
At work we’re lucky.
There are people around us who do what we do.
We might even have a mentor.
We get taught how to do certain things.
Try it ourselves.
Get stuck?
Check with an experienced colleague.
Feedback?
Given to you at regular intervals.
But what do you do when you reach the same level as your colleagues?
What do you do when there is nobody around you who can help?
What do you do when you’re starting something new by yourself?
Most people find a book.
Or, these days, find instructions online.
Reading different blogs, watching different YouTube videos.
Maybe even listening to some podcasts.
This can work.
If you combine it with output.
Putting what you’re learning into practice.
Which is something most of us don’t do when we’re on our own.
To improve your skill you’ll need one more component: feedback.
We can read, listen and watch all we want.
Try it ourselves all we want.
Get stuck and figure it out with the help of the internet.
But to make this a sustainable loop?
We need feedback.
Something many overlook.
We’re often scared to approach others.
Being by ourselves with our resources feels safe.
We’re not bothering anyone.
We’re not wasting anyone’s time.
We’re not looking bad in front of others.
But what’s the harm?
If you ask someone to be your mentor and the person says yes, hasn’t that person made his or her own choice?
Sure, we may get rejected.
We likely will.
Many times.
But if we’re dedicated and respectful of others, there will be a yes…eventually.
The true power of a mentor is not to give you feedback on what you’ve done.
But to cut through the noise and show you how to get ahead in a faster, more efficient and less painful way.
To substitute quantity with quality.
That’s knowledge accumulated over time.
Want to get better at something?
Find high-quality resources.
Put into practice what you learn.
Have a feedback loop.
Get a mentor with experience in your field.
The formula is simple.
The effort, patience and perseverance?
That’s the hard part.