The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do

you, who doesn’t meet your expectations, who forces you to
think and act differently, is exactly what you need. That is,
after all, the job of an educator.
“The teacher appears when the student is ready” is a
nice-sounding cliché, but the truth is the student is never
ready. Throughout our lives, we will encounter a number of
people who will appear at times, ready to instruct, and it will
be our job to recognize them.
In my life, I’ve had many mentors: from my college
chaplain, to my first boss, to the guy who lives down the
street from us and sometimes helps me fix things. Most of
the time, I’ve failed to recognize the importance of these
relationships until well after they were over. Sometimes,
their influence was subtle and undetected. Other times, it
was clear they were trying to invest in me; I was just too
stubborn to appreciate it. In every example, though, I would
have benefited more from the mentor had I been intentional
about the process.
Throughout this process of finding your life’s work, you
must be willing to look for mentors in unexpected places.
Your friends, long-lost relatives, even old relationships that
have dwindled down may become the sources of inspiration
you need. Each person serves a purpose: some will arrive at
just the right time to cheer you on, while others are there to
identify with the struggles you’re living. And even others
will show up when you need them the most. All of these
people in their own way are mentors, contributing to your
apprenticeship.