7 Ways to Find The Guidance You (Really) Need
Someone once said, “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” Who wouldn’t want that kind of encouragement and guidance as we navigate an unpredictable and ever-changing world?
We’ve all heard stories—and some of us have experienced firsthand—the transformative impact a great mentor can have on our personal and professional growth. But here’s the thing: mentoring isn’t the only kind of guidance you need. Sometimes, it’s not even the right kind.
There are actually multiple types of guidance available to help you grow, thrive, and navigate life with clarity. The key is recognizing what kind of support fits your season or situation—and being intentional about pursuing it.
Let’s explore seven types of guidance that can help shape your journey. Each offers a unique way to equip you for a more deliberate, impactful life.
1. The Mentor: Someone Who Gives You Advice
A mentor is the classic go-to when we think of guidance. They’re further along the road and offer wisdom drawn from their own experiences. Mentors help you navigate challenges like leadership dynamics, career progression, or balancing work and life.
Sheryl Sandberg, in Lean In, notes how valuable mentors are:
“Mentorship is often the difference between someone surviving and someone thriving.”
Think of a mentor as someone who illuminates the path ahead. They don’t walk it for you, but they offer insights that make the journey clearer and more intentional.
2. The Coach: Someone Who Asks You Great Questions
Coaches don’t give advice—they ask questions. And not just any questions, but the kind that cut to the heart of the matter.
Great coaches help you clarify your thinking, identify roadblocks, and draw solutions out of yourself. They empower you by challenging assumptions and encouraging self-reflection.
Author and coach Michael Bungay Stanier, in The Coaching Habit, highlights the power of questions:
“The best coaching question in the world is simply this: And what else?”
It invites deeper thinking and helps you uncover possibilities you hadn’t considered.
3. The Sponsor: Someone Who Opens Doors for You
Sponsors are different from mentors. While mentors offer advice, sponsors actively advocate for you. They throw their weight behind you, open doors, and connect you to opportunities you might not have access to on your own.
Research cited by Sandberg in Lean In shows that people with sponsors are more likely to take on stretch assignments and negotiate higher salaries. Sponsorship isn’t something you can always request—it’s something you earn by showing up, excelling, and demonstrating potential.
The late Colin Powell summed it up well:
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
Be ready when sponsorship opportunities come your way.
4. The Counsellor: Someone Who Helps You Process Your Internal World
Life can get heavy. Sometimes, the guidance we need isn’t about external strategy but about untangling what’s happening inside. That’s where a counsellor comes in.
A trained professional can help you process stress, navigate transitions, or deal with unresolved pain. As Brené Brown explains in Dare to Lead:
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.”
Counselling helps us own our stories—good, bad, and messy—and equips us to lead ourselves better from the inside out.
5. The Spiritual Advisor: Someone Who Helps You Navigate Your Values and Beliefs
For those navigating a spiritual journey, a spiritual advisor can provide clarity on how your beliefs shape your decisions and relationships. Whether they’re a pastor, rabbi, or mentor with deep wisdom, spiritual advisors help you align your life with what matters most.
Ken Cochrum, in Close: Leading Well Across Distance and Culture, emphasizes how critical this is in today’s global context:
“Leaders must help their teams connect the dots between their deepest values and their daily decisions.”
A spiritual advisor can do the same for your personal journey.
6. The Guru: Someone Whose Expertise You Can Learn From
In the age of podcasts, webinars, and online courses, we’re surrounded by what we might call gurus —people with deep expertise who share their knowledge freely.
Whether it’s Seth Godin on marketing, Brené Brown on vulnerability, or Jim Collins on leadership, gurus offer us a front-row seat to their hard-earned wisdom. The key is finding experts whose insights align with your goals and learning from their resources.
As Greg McKeown writes in Essentialism:
“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”
Gurus can help you focus on what truly matters.
7. The Teacher: Someone Who Helps You Think Differently
Teachers transform the way you process information and ideas. They don’t just offer answers; they help you see the world in new ways.
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, made a deliberate choice to focus on teaching rather than leading large organizations. Why? Because teaching allowed him to multiply his impact by helping others apply principles that lead to greatness.
McKeown describes this in Essentialism:
“Great teachers don’t just give us knowledge; they shape our thinking in ways that change how we approach life.”
What This Means for You
When we feel stuck or unsure, it’s tempting to think one guide—a mentor, a coach, or a sponsor—can provide everything we need. But life is complex, and so are the challenges we face. Different seasons and situations call for different kinds of guidance.
Here are some questions to help you identify what kind to look for:
Which of these roles are present in your life?
Where do you have gaps?
What step can you take today to access the guidance you’re missing?
Take Action
Identify one area where you need guidance.
Consider which type of guide can best support you in that area.
Take one intentional step—send an email, book a session, or dive into a resource—to seek the help you need.
You don’t have to navigate life alone. By surrounding yourself with the right voices, you can chart a deliberate, impactful path forward.