You can ask anyone who has been fortunate enough to have a great mentoring relationship, "why was it great?", and you'll find common themes. "They listened and cared", "they gave advice", "they were honest", "they were dependable", and "they were respectful". Often the protégé doesn't speak on behalf of the time and effort they themselves put in to make it work. It could be because they were fortunate enough to have a Mindful Mentor leading the relationship, or they're just too humble to take credit for the success of the relationship. The problem is, this is deceiving to the outside viewer who craves the benefits of a strong mentor. It can lead them to believe that "luck" instead of intentional effort is what breeds a strong mentoring relationship, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Coming from a "lead your career" mindset which assumes you have untapped and unfettered potential to shape and influence your own career, we'll examine how to create a successful mentoring relationship.