It's tempting, when you mentor,
to be impressive.
To show how much you know.
To solve the problem fast,
cleanly,
in a way that leaves them a little in awe.
That feels like good mentoring.
It usually isn't.
Because every time you dazzle,
you teach them one quiet thing:
the answers live in you,
not in them.
Your job isn't to look smart.
It's to make them feel capable.
So hold back a little.
Let them reach the answer
with a nudge instead of a rescue.
Ask the question
that helps them see it themselves.
When they solve it,
even with your help,
they walk away believing
they can solve the next one.
That belief
is worth more
than any answer you could hand them.
The best thing you build as a mentor
was never your reputation.
It was their confidence
that they don't need you
as much as they thought.
Build that.
– Asael Shinder
