This may be a controversial opinion, but I think people put too much stock in mentors. They can be extremely valuable, no doubt. But often the advice they'll give is out in the world if you just know where to look.
I've found that carefully controlling the flow of information reaching my brain - reading books (not just business books - the classics, history, psychology, etc.), cultivating a Twitter feed of people that you look up to, blocking time on my calendar for thinking & deep work, etc. - has had an impact in my life greater than the impact that my mentors have provided. My problems are not as unique as I once thought they were; far more valuable to read someone's carefully considered written thoughts on a topic than fight to get 5 min of face-to-face time to hear the most general version of that advice.
But to answer your original question, you have to provide value to any potential mentor. The absolute worst thing that you can do is reach out and directly ask for someone's mentorship. This is like asking someone to marry you on a first date. The potential mentor has no idea if you're someone who is worth spending their valuable time on; someone they will be proud of and will want to be associated with going forward. A mentorship is a relationship - it's a two-way street. What do you bring to the table? Also, at the end of the day mentors pick people who remind them of themselves, so best to focus on what connects you (alumni networks come to mind as a strong example of this).
The advice is out there, yes. But without a mentor, people tend to practice what they are already good at, so they seek our small improvements to their strengths instead of large improvements to their weaknesses. A good mentor will help you identify your personal areas of weakness, and guide you to improvements. A great mentor can do so in a positive way that feels empowering.
Also top talented people often can give you advice of the kind: "if you could only improve one aspect, you should choose this one", that IME is very useful.
I've found that carefully controlling the flow of information reaching my brain - reading books (not just business books - the classics, history, psychology, etc.), cultivating a Twitter feed of people that you look up to, blocking time on my calendar for thinking & deep work, etc. - has had an impact in my life greater than the impact that my mentors have provided. My problems are not as unique as I once thought they were; far more valuable to read someone's carefully considered written thoughts on a topic than fight to get 5 min of face-to-face time to hear the most general version of that advice.
But to answer your original question, you have to provide value to any potential mentor. The absolute worst thing that you can do is reach out and directly ask for someone's mentorship. This is like asking someone to marry you on a first date. The potential mentor has no idea if you're someone who is worth spending their valuable time on; someone they will be proud of and will want to be associated with going forward. A mentorship is a relationship - it's a two-way street. What do you bring to the table? Also, at the end of the day mentors pick people who remind them of themselves, so best to focus on what connects you (alumni networks come to mind as a strong example of this).
- Ryan Holiday has some more good advice on finding mentors here: https://ryanholiday.net/finding-a-mentor/
- And Tim Ferriss on contacting busy people: https://tim.blog/2008/05/19/5-tips-for-e-mailing-busy-people...