Do You Need a Mentor? – Dr Margaretha Montagu

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” — Isaac Newton

Potential clients often ask me what happens during an iNFINITE iMPACT mentoring consultation. Below, I share an example of such a consultation, entirely hypothetical, to give you an idea of what to expect and decide if mentoring would be a good choice for you at this time. Let’s start by looking at what exactly is a mentor:

What Is A Mentor?

A mentor is an experienced and trusted councillor who guides and supports a less experienced person (often called a mentee or protégé) in their personal or professional development. The relationship typically involves sharing knowledge, providing feedback, offering emotional support, and helping the protégé navigate challenges and seize opportunities.

Key aspects of mentorship include:

It’s a two-way relationship – while mentors guide and advise, effective mentorship involves mutual trust, respect and open dialogue
It’s based on experience sharing – mentors pass on their insights, acquired through personal experience, and lessons learned from their own journey
It often involves role modelling – mentors demonstrate personal and professional behaviours and standards through their own example
There is a narrow focus on personal development – mentors help their clients identify and work toward their goals while mastering new skills and revealing hidden talents and strengths

Why Mentoring?

At this point in my life, mentoring is undoubtedly the most effective medium to share my knowledge, training and extensive experience with major life changes and transitions. Coaching and Counselling, the other two modalities that I hold qualifications for, have limitations that hinder my ability to give my very best to my clients.

To get back to the hypothetical consultation I mentioned…it usually starts like this:

“So, why would someone like you – already crushing it by most standards – seek out a mentor?

The client answers.

I understand: You’ve hit all the conventional markers of success. Corner office? Check. Impressive portfolio? Done. The kind of LinkedIn profile that makes recruiters swoon? Obviously.

But something’s nagging at you. Maybe it’s that subtle feeling that despite all your achievements, you’re operating at 70% of your potential. Or perhaps you’ve mastered the ‘what’ of success but are grappling with the ‘why.’

Here’s what I typically hear from high-achievers like yourself:

‘I’m successful by everyone else’s metrics, but I’m not sure they’re my metrics anymore.’
‘I’ve climbed to the top of what I thought was my mountain, only to realise it might well be the wrong mountain.’
‘I’m great at optimizing systems and leading teams, but I’m not sure I’m optimizing my own life.’
‘Everyone comes to me for advice, but who do I go to when I need to pressure-test my thinking?’

Clients explain their specific challenges.

Indeed, having a mentor at your level isn’t about basic career guidance – you’ve long since figured that part out. It’s about having someone who can be your thought partner in exploring uncharted territory. Someone who can help you:

Challenge your assumptions (even the ones that got you this far)
Spot your blind spots (especially the ones your success has hidden from view)
Question your questions (because you’re probably asking yourself the wrong ones)
Navigate the intersection of extraordinary success and genuine fulfilment (because they don’t always overlap naturally)

Think of it as having a sophisticated GPS for your life’s journey – one that doesn’t just show you the fastest route, but helps you figure out if you’re heading to the right destination in the first place.

What made you start thinking about mentorship at this specific time?

Clients share their reasons.

I know exactly how that feels. You’ve built something impressive. The kind of career trajectory that makes for compelling business school case studies. Board meetings, strategic decisions, and maybe even a few industry awards gathering dust on your shelf.

And yet… there’s this persistent void.

I hear this more often than you may think.

High-achievers who’ve mastered the external game but are now facing the internal one. It typically shows up as:

‘I’ve spent twenty years building this empire, but lately I’m wondering – who am I building it for?’
‘My team sees me as this unshakeable leader, but privately, I’m questioning everything I’ve built.’
‘I can solve complex business problems in my sleep, but I can’t seem to crack the code of personal fulfilment.’
‘The things that used to excite me – closing big deals, quarterly wins, industry recognition – they just don’t hit the same way anymore.’

Let’s be honest – this isn’t about needing guidance on how to be more successful. This is about something deeper. It’s about:

Redefining success on your own terms (not just the terms that looked good in your 30s)
Finding purpose beyond performance metrics
Creating a legacy that matters to YOU, not just to shareholders
Discovering what sets your soul on fire (when your brain’s already proven all it needs to prove)

Clients describe their unique situations.

When did you first notice this disconnect between your external success and your internal fulfilment?

What was the moment that made you stop and think, ‘There has to be more than this’?”

Let’s discuss this fascinating intersection of peak achievement and personal renaissance. It’s quite different from the challenges you faced building your career – more nuanced, more internal, and ironically, often more challenging for people used to solving everything with strategic thinking.

Let’s break down the iNFINITE iMPACT approach:

First, we need to give ourselves permission to question everything – yes, even the success metrics we’ve internalised. It’s remarkably difficult for high-achievers to do this. You’ve spent decades building a reputation for having answers, and now you’re entering a phase full of questions.
Next, we have to cope with the identity shift. This is where it gets interesting. You’re not just the CEO, Managing Director, or whatever title you’ve earned. You’re a human being in transition. The challenge? Expanding your identity without dismantling what you’ve built.
We need to develop metrics for meaning – and no, not the kind that looks good on a quarterly report. We’re talking about measures of fulfilment that would make your MBA professors scratch their heads:

How often do you lose track of time doing something that lights you up?
When was the last time you felt truly, deeply challenged at a personal level?
What percentage of your decisions are driven by ‘should’ versus ‘want’?

Clients talk about their insights.

4. Next is the question about leaving a legacy. This is where we move from ‘What do I want to achieve?’ to ‘What do I want to give?’ It’s no longer about adding to your impressive resume – it’s about writing a different story altogether.

The opportunities? They’re extraordinary:

You have resources most people dream of
Your pattern recognition skills are razor-sharp
You know how to execute once you set a direction
Your network is likely vast and valuable

The challenges? Equally significant:

Letting go of control (your old friend)
Embracing uncertainty (your old enemy)
Learning to measure success in ways Wall Street would never understand
Building authentic relationships when everyone wants something from you

Clients explore their unique opportunities and challenges and often want to talk about identity issues.

The key is recognising that this isn’t a crisis – it’s a calling. It’s your sophisticated mind telling you it’s time for the next great challenge. And unlike the challenges of building a career or running a company, this one is deeply personal.

Think of your identity like an operating system that’s been running exceptionally well for decades. It’s sophisticated, highly optimised, and gets incredible results. We’ll call it ‘Achievement OS 4.0.’ But now you’re trying to run new programs it wasn’t designed for.

Typically, successful people struggle with:

The Identity Anchor Effect – Your achievements have become your anchor points. When someone asks ‘Who are you?’ your mind automatically runs through your professional highlight reel. The challenge? Learning to separate your worth from your work without losing your edge.
The Social Identity Trap – Everyone in your orbit – board members, team, family – has you firmly categorised as ‘the successful one,’ ‘the problem solver,’ and ‘the person who makes things happen.’ Their expectations have become invisible strings pulling at your identity. Breaking free without breaking relationships? That’s the art we need to master.
The Competency Paradox – Your high competency in your professional role can actually block personal growth. Why? Because you’ve mastered being the person with answers, but this journey requires becoming comfortable with questions.
The New Identity Integration – This is about expansion, not replacement. Think of it like adding new rooms to a magnificent house rather than tearing it down. You’re not losing the CEO, you’re adding the explorer, the learner, maybe even the beginner at something new.

Key Moves in this Shift:

From ‘I am what I achieve’ to ‘I am who I am becoming.’
From ‘What will others think?’ to ‘What feels authentically right?’
From ‘I should have this figured out’ to ‘I’m curious about what I don’t know.’

Here’s a question that often creates breakthrough moments: What part of yourself have you put on hold while building your success? Maybe there’s an artist, a philosopher, or an adventurer in there somewhere, waiting for permission to emerge?”

A Purely Hypothetical Conversation

Each mentoring consultation is unique, just as each client and their circumstances are unique. No two consultations follow the same pattern – the example above is just an introduction to the iNFINITE iMPACT mentoring process, to help you decide if it will be a good fit for you.

If this resonates, on one or on various levels, please send me an email at OpenLockedDoors@gmail.com to book your complimentary 30-minute consultation.