The mentorship trap

Author

Orly Israel
May 29, 2025

"A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”

John Wooden

Lone wolf stories are iconic, but most of our icons came up with business coaches or mentors. Plato had Socrates. Oprah had Angelou. Zuck had Jobs. Gates had Buffet. The list continues.

We crave mentors because they fulfill three essential needs:

  • Stability → They help us build

  • Safety → They help us avoid pitfalls

  • Connection → They see us and say, “You’re not alone.”

Another misconception is thinking these icons only had one mentor. None of these icons had only one mentor. They had helpers, teachers, and friends along the way.

If you seek only a perfect singular mentor, you’ll dismiss all those who have the ability to help you build, avoid, and feel not alone.

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