I have experienced two distinct stages in my career so far: working with guidance and working without any. In the first case, I often found myself stuck for a longer time on issues that were often simple.
With a mentor, I had the necessary guidance and began to consistently and steadily evolve.
However, make no mistake, it is not solely the mentor's responsibility to show you the entire path while you passively follow. The relationship between mentor and mentee is a two-way street. You need to make an effort to understand what is being taught and, above all, strive to ask the right questions. These questions are extremely important, perhaps the most relevant aspect of the whole process.
It is crucial that you actively engage in your mentoring process. Often, your mentor will explain new concepts, and you may not fully grasp them at first. That's why it is essential to take notes on what has been said, so you have a record of what you've learned and don't have to repeat the same question multiple times. Remember that this process starts with you, and it is not the mentor's responsibility to constantly chase after you. The mentor is someone who has faced the same difficulties as you and therefore has a clearer understanding of the path to be followed. However, each person is different, which is why each person benefits from a different type of mentor.
Let's look at the example of Naruto Uzumaki. He had several mentors throughout his life, with Jiraya being a prominent one who taught him to understand the complexities of combat and access his inner strength. It is important to note that a suitable mentor for Naruto may not necessarily be the ideal mentor for other characters, such as Sakura, who has a different set of skills. For her, an ideal mentor would be someone capable of helping her develop her medical abilities, as Tsunade did.
By this, I mean that different people need different types of support, especially at the beginning of their careers when we are still a bit lost in terms of which paths to follow. If your company does not have a mentoring program, propose one! If you are not yet working and would like to have a mentor to guide you until your first opportunity, do as I did when I started my career: hire a private tutor, try out various options, and see which one fits your needs best. If you are in a company, ask a more experienced colleague to be your mentor; if you are in university, talk to a professor or more advanced student, express your admiration for their work, and your desire to learn more from them. Participate in mentoring projects, take initiative, and become responsible for your own journey.
Another extremely important aspect: if you already have experience, become a mentor. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching to learn. I used to be very insecure about taking on the role of a mentor. I thought I wasn't ready and that I needed to know much more than I do. However, I realized that this insecurity was just my lack of confidence in speaking louder. After overcoming that and becoming a mentor, my perspective on the field changed completely. I can say with absolute certainty that it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Feeling lost is natural. We all need guidance. The learning process is not linear, and that's where a mentor can be crucial. Remember: take notes, make an effort, ask the right questions, and you will become unstoppable. "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish."