So many of us work toward some penultimate achievement, be it professional ascension or a safe, stable happy home life. And when we reach it, something emerges from the dark underbelly that says, “is that all there is?”. But we won’t say that because, well, it would seem ungrateful.

My longest mentor relationships span as long as 20+ years — women I met as 12 year olds who just turned 30, a woman I hired out of college who is now in her 25th year at her company, a once seventh grader who is now a mom and a budding filmmaker. In all cases, there is no set recipe, but here are some ideas on how to get the most out of the relationships you build during your career.

“WAIT!” I say. “Give me another chance. I bet if I do the last two lines again, I can read them PERFECTLY!”
At this point, my eye doctor looks at me like I’m crazy.