A toolkit for spotting fake mentors, building real ones, and walking away when needed

Read the whole post here.

👋 Intro: Why This Exists

Mentorship is romanticized. But bad mentorship can wreck your confidence, slow your growth, and make you second-guess your own instincts.

This Notion is here to help you vet, build, and if needed, exit mentor relationships with strategy, clarity, and self-respect.

🧭 SECTION 1: The Quick Gut Check

❓ Ask Yourself:

• Do I feel more like myself after talking to them, or less?
• Am I performing to keep their approval, or showing up honestly?
• Do I leave our conversations with clarity or confusion?
• Is this helping me grow or just helping me stay small?

✍️ Add a journal log here after each session. One line: “How did I feel after this meeting?”

(Use a toggle/dropdown or callout box per date)

🛠️ SECTION 2: Build Your Mentor-Vetting Checklist

📝 Before you say yes to a mentor, check:

• [ ] I know what I need help with (specific area or challenge)
• [ ] They have experience in that area
• [ ] Their past mentees speak highly of them
• [ ] They listen more than they talk