How to Get the Most From Your Mentors ~ Rick Warren

"It’s better to be criticized by a wise man than praised by a fool” (Ecclesiastes 7:5).

Mentors can bring out the best in you and help you achieve God’s unique mission for your life. They help you keep growing—in your roles, your goals, and your soul.

To be mentored, you must learn to listen and receive feedback. I’ve had eight different mentors in my life. I also have a whole list of advisors—they’re like my brain trust. I bounce ideas off them and get their feedback.

The Bible teaches the importance of accepting feedback: “It’s better to be criticized by a wise man than praised by a fool” (Ecclesiastes 7:5).

Feedback is absolutely essential in order to fulfill God’s mission for your life. If you don’t get feedback, you’re going to get off course. Did you know that in all the Apollo flights to the moon the shuttles had to do course corrections literally every second? The earth was turning, the moon was turning, and in order to get the rocket to the spot on the moon where it was supposed to be at a specific time, the astronauts had to continually correct their course.

And that means they had to get feedback.

If you’re not open to feedback, you’re not going to learn, you’re not going to grow, and you’re not going to develop. Go out and find someone you trust, someone with skills and experiences you can learn from and ask that person to be your mentor.