List the people you admire and look to for advice…
Make a List of People You Admire and Turn to for Advice
📑Table of Contentsy
1. Introduction (Using the ARB Formula)
2. Why Do We Need Mentors?
3. The 7 People You Must Learn From
· 3.1 The Elder Who Has Seen Hardship
· 3.2 The Friend Who Always Tells the Truth
· 3.3 The Teacher Who Recognised Your Hidden Strength
· 3.4 The Person Who Failed but Got Back Up
· 3.5 The Stranger Whose Story Inspires You
· 3.6 The Rival Who Pushes You to Be Better
· 3.7 Your Own Previous Version
4. The Right Way to Seek Advice
5. Conclusion and Your Challenge
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1. Introduction (ARB Formula)
Attention (A question that grabs your focus):
Have you ever wondered – when the most successful people in the world get stuck in a difficult situation, whom do they turn to for advice? Some magical book? An expensive coach? No. They have a list. A list of people they truly trust. And the surprising thing is, that list doesn’t always contain rich or famous people.
Reason (Why should you read this article?):
Because trying to find every answer alone in life is exhausting. You may read a lot, learn a lot, but still feel lost. This article will give you a perspective that helps you find your mentors in the ordinary people you meet every day. Without any coaching centre. Without any fees.
Benefits (What you will gain by reading):
· You will learn how successful people build their personal “advisory board”
· You will start seeing every relationship – the shopkeeper, the auto driver, your boss – as a potential source of wisdom
· Before any big decision, you will have the collective mind of 5–7 trusted people
· You will understand the difference between confidence and clarity
This article is for anyone who wants to grow – whether you are a student, a homemaker, a professional, or a business owner.
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2. Why Do We Need Mentors?
You may have noticed: nothing big in this world was built alone. Sachin Tendulkar had Ramakant Achrekar. Every great story has a backstory – someone who showed the way, taught the lesson, and sometimes gave a hard slap to wake you up.
But the question is – should we all have such people in our lives? Yes.
Think about it:
· When you start a new business, the language there is different.
· When a relationship breaks, there is no instruction manual.
· When you feel stuck in a loop of “no more”, you need an outsider’s view.
These are the moments when a genuine list of trusted people can save you. The more real that list is, the better your decisions will be.
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3. The 7 People You Must Learn From
3.1 The Elder Who Has Seen Hardship
Every neighbourhood, every family has an elderly person whose face has wrinkles but eyes still shine. They have seen times when there was no money, but they still managed. They have seen people change, but learned that honesty should not.
What can you learn from them?
· What will you lose in the rush to get rich quick?
· Real happiness is not in expensive things, but in simple habits.
· When to use the power of staying silent.
How to start? Just ask, “Grandfather, how would people in your time have solved this kind of problem?”
3.2 The Friend Who Always Tells the Truth
In every circle, there is one “overly honest” friend. The one who will say, “Bro, that shirt doesn’t suit you” or “You’ve been repeating the same story for the last three years.”
This friend is your live mirror. Taking advice from them means seeing yourself as you are, not as you imagine yourself to be. Most people run away from this friend. Wise people keep them close.
The right approach:
Do this once a month: Ask them, “What are three things about me that push people away?”
3.3 The Teacher Who Recognised Your Hidden Strength
That school or college teacher who saw a talent in you that you didn’t even know you had. Maybe they said, “You have a great ability to write” or “You are excellent at explaining things to people.”
That teacher can still guide you today. You still have their phone number, don’t you? They would simply be happy to know that you still remember their words.
How to seek advice from them? Tell them about both your successes and your failures. Ask, “Sir, how can I use this skill even better?”
3.4 The Person Who Failed but Got Back Up
You will get the strongest inspiration from someone who fell apart, then stood up again. This does not have to be a celebrity. It could be the shopkeeper in your street who lost everything during the pandemic but is now starting over.
Learn from them – “How did you get back on your feet?” Their answer will teach you better life lessons than any class. Because they are a living example that victory exists even after defeat.
3.5 The Stranger Whose Story Inspires You
This is the most interesting name on the list. Have you ever listened to a rickshaw driver? A street vendor? They carry untold stories.
Once I asked a vendor who stands on the roadside for 15 hours, “How do you manage to stand so long?” He said, “Son, at home two are sick, two are studying. Tiredness comes, but my will never gets tired.”
That day I learned – your biggest problem looks small in front of his. Such strangers keep you grounded.
3.6 The Rival Who Is Ahead of You
The person you feel jealous of is often the one who makes you better. In cricket, Kohli and Anderson are rivals – but they inspire each other. In business, competition between Amazon and Flipkart gave customers better service.
Who is slightly ahead of you in your field? Watch their habits carefully. What are they doing that you are not doing? This is not spying; it is learning.
Just remember: Drop jealousy, keep curiosity. Ask – “What did they do differently?”
3.7 Your Own Previous Version
Yes, yourself. The you from one year ago, three years ago. That is your most honest critic.
You made those mistakes. You endured those hardships. You took those decisions. If you look back at your diary or just your memory, you will find many lessons. Your past self is telling your present self – “Don’t go that way” or “Remember how you got out of that mess?”
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4. The Right Way to Seek Advice
Now you might be thinking – “Is just making a list enough?” No. You need to learn the art of taking advice.
Three common mistakes we make:
1. Asking everyone about everything – this only creates confusion.
2. Asking but not really listening – forgetting the answer within five minutes.
3. Only following the path we already prefer, then wondering why we are still stuck.
When you ask someone for advice, respect their experience. That 70 year old elder may not have a degree, but they have seen the world rise and fall many more times than you.
Second thing – ask different people about the same problem. Get an emotional view from one, a logical view from another, a practical view from a third. Then decide with your own mind. The final decision will always be yours – but it will have passed through the filter of those 7 minds.
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5. Conclusion and Your Challenge
So starting today, do one thing. Open a notebook or your phone’s notes app. Make a list – “The 5 people I truly admire and whose advice I want to seek.”
At least two of these should be people you meet every day. And one who you never thought of as a mentor before.
Your 7‑day challenge:
Go to at least three of these people and ask – “According to you, what one thing should I work on the most this year?” Just listen. Do not interrupt. Write down their answers. You don’t have to follow them blindly, but you must try to understand them.
Because the biggest truth of life is this – we are born alone, we die alone, but the art of living is always taught to us by others.
Now tell me – who is the first name on your list?
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READ MORE: How to stop comparing yourself to others
🙏Thank You!