Really, everybody needs multiple mentors across their entire life. So make it your goal to get as many mentors as possible, in various areas of your life: professional, faith, parenting, recreational, etc. I have had a few that deeply influenced my life. 

All of my mentors taught me important lessons about what to do and how to live.  From some, I learned lessons about what not to do and practices to avoid. Not all my mentors are, or were, living people. Some, like Jesus, lived thousands of years ago, but their impact has come through their recorded words.

I don’t think I was very successful at finding or connecting with as many living mentors as I could have. However, I want to share a little about four mentors and their impact on me. The first is my Dad, Clay Upchurch – from him I learned diligence. I also learned that almost every problem can be solved if you can think about it differently. Oh, and how to fish! The second was from Dave Kruse. From Dave, I learned about diligence and a “get it done” mentality. The third was Dr. John Conley, from Dr. Conley I learned about the integration of faith into my work and the ability to be creative. I won’t include the name of the fourth. From him, I learned how not to treat people, but I also learned that if you are willing to sacrifice people you can build a pyramid.

Mostly my mentors have impacted my life through what they had written and what has been written about them. There are a lot of good books that can serve as substitute mentors if you are willing to “listen” and learn.  Probably the best place to start is a regular cycle of reading through the New Testament at least every year.  If you think you don’t need a mentor or can’t benefit from the wisdom of others, you are wrong, ignorant and quite possibly stupid.