Time and time again, it has been proven that the number one indicator of success in life is this: Who your mentor is.
This morning, I woke up almost overwhelmed with gratitude for this big, beautiful life I’ve been able to live. At the precipice of every breakthrough, every leap forward, stood three remarkable mentors who changed my trajectory forever.
But before I share their names, I want to pause on a vital truth.
There are two parts to mentoring.
The first is who is mentoring you—someone about three jumps ahead of where you are in life, who can help you navigate the sticky wickets, having already crossed the terrain and seen what’s next.
The second, equally important, is who you are mentoring—the ones you lift, guide, and encourage as they take their own next steps.
If you remove either side of that equation, an imbalance sets in. The system starts to leak energy.
You can’t only give, and you can’t only take.
True mentoring is a flow of wisdom, gratitude, and contribution.
My Three Mentors
Alan Hall saw my potential when I didn’t see it. He believed in me and gave me my first opportunity to lead. Alan was kind, generous, and infused me with optimistic hope for my future. He’s still the one I call when I get jammed up. Alan, I will forever be in your debt.
Dr. Peter Horne took a long-shot bet on me. He taught me logic, structure, and the discipline of proving a model. More importantly, he taught me that there are three things you can never replace: your health, your trusted relationships, and your family. Dr. Horne, you put me on the path of entrepreneurship, and your counsel changed the direction of my life forever.
Dr. Stephen Covey modeled what it means to lead with principle. You taught me the power of thought leadership rooted in timeless values—and gave me the confidence to share my own frameworks with the world. Your belief in me went deeper than words could ever express.
People often ask, “How do I find a mentor?”
The answer is simpler than most expect: you decide someone is your mentor and then earn it through action.
Read their work. Support their mission. Mirror their wisdom. Show through what you do—not what you say—that you value their contribution.
And if you’re young or just starting out, know this: we old dogs are eager to lift the next generation.
What we can’t stand is being used.
So approach with respect, curiosity, and contribution. That’s the heartbeat of mentorship—it’s about flow, not force.
Every great life is built on borrowed belief—and passed forward in kind.
In abundance, confidence, and gratitude,
Rich Christiansen
