Choose One Expert

Focus on one expert in this strategic learning exercise.

Style

Special Agent

Skill

Choosing a Mentor

Commitment

Ongoing

THE LIBRARY:

Choose One Expert

Expert mentors are a particularly strategic shortcut, which makes them an excellent fit for Special Agents. You can stand on the shoulders of experts, past or present, and leap forward. When you’re considering a mentor, think expansively. Sometimes an author, podcaster, or other thought leader is the perfect person to guide you forward, even if you can’t meet with them and speak face-to-face.

An expert mentor can help you:

Gain new perspective
Better understand the landscape of your field
Discover resources or tools to help you bypass trial and error

Materials

How to Choose

Timer
Paper
Pencil
Computer (optional)

1. Set a timer for five minutes.

2. Make a list of questions related to your current creative project.

3. Once the time is up, review your list. Do you see any patterns?

4. Create a focusing question to guide your next learning and growth step. Start with “How might I … ?”

4. List any experts that come to mind who might shed light on your question. Think widely: visual artists, musicians, writers, entrepreneurs, researchers, etc.

5. Spend a few minutes on Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, or iTunes. Notice which experts top the lists when you search for articles, books, podcasts, and videos related to your question.

6. Using the information you’ve gathered, choose one mentor for the week. Soak in material by or about them. Listen to a podcast by or about them, read a book by them (or listen to a Blinkist summary about their book), or watch a video by or about them.

7. At the end of the week, review what you’ve learned. Can you transform any of your learning into a practical strategy to try? Would you like to continue learning from this mentor, or choose a new one?