Do you have a life/career/financial mentor?

[Gone Fishing]

My dad taught me about investing, my mom taught me how to be fruegal, and I had some help with my career along the way, but never anyone I would really call a mentor. Do you?

[TheThirstyStag]

I have thousands of such people - the members of this forum.

Kidding aside, I do not have such a mentor financially.  Careerwise and lifewise, absolutely.  It's great being blessed with people to look up to.

[Mr. McGibblets]

Mentor-mentee relationships begin when you least expect them. I've had many conversations with Grandparents, parents, friends and strangers, and they have all taught me life lessons in their own special ways. Most of the time I won't even realize they were teaching me something until I encounter a decision that was similar to their stories/experiences.

In terms of finding a mentor, I don't think it's something that you necessarily ask someone unless you want to. A lot of people are very generous with their advice if you ask them. It also helps to tell them something personal about yourself so that they feel more comfortable talking about finance/personal life.

BTW - so awesome that your projected FIRE date is July 4th. So American!

[Hank Sinatra]

Never had any kind of a mentor. ANY kind. Especially as regards money/investing. Pulled everything out of my own ass.  Every adult I knew growing up, parents, teachers, neighbors, and later employers and supervisors as well as almost all of my "peers" were monolithically stupid. Useless to me. Served only as good  examples of  bad examples.

As far as money and investing Three things did impress me as a child that I never forgot and later tried to emulate in a more pedestrian but just as effective way.

1) Mr Howell on Gilligan's Island. Had a lot of money. Did no work. Always talked about Dow Jones and Wall street... Hmmmmm...?

2)Gomez Addams. Standing in the livingroom reading his ticker tape. "Buy Amalgamated!" "Sell Consolidated!"  Had a lot of money. Did no work. Hmmmm...?

3) The old Dreyfus Fund commercial with the Lion walking out of the subway, down the street, and into a bank. I remember the voice-over saying something about "investment fund", "make your money grow", "Take sensible risks".  Hmmmm....?

As a five year old I thought it would be cool as hell to have a pet lion.

[ltt]

My father.  The principles of saving, investing, little to no debt have stuck with me throughout the years.

[Zikoris]

Nope. That would mean someone would have to be even crazier than me, and that's pretty rare to find even online, let alone in real life.

[mathlete]

Nope.

One of my biggest weaknesses is probably that I don't take advice well. I like figuring things out on my own.

[zinethstache]

I had two major role models who influenced my financial path. Both were somewhat transient, but made a big impact on my way of thinking.

When I was a teenager, I had the occasion to chat with the father of a family I babysat for. I don't recall why we got connected, but I asked alot of questions about his real estate holdings. He had a multi-use building on Highway 99 that I recall thinking of renting one of the upstairs apartments. That highway is busy and I felt it was unsafe. I recall asking him how he came to own multiple rentals. His story stuck with me. When he passed each of the two children got half, I think the man I babysat for got 3 million. In no more than 5 years both his kids had blown through the money and had nothing to show for it. Needless to say I was hugely disappointed in the son who I babysat for.

The second big influencer was at the Company I work for now. He was a Marcom manager but on the side he invested in stocks and belonged to an investing club. He did so well that he (quietly) bought his dream home on the waterfront in seattle with a dock for his boat. He paid cash. I think he sold his basic rambler, but perhaps he rents it instead. The next move he made was to quit, and later he called to give an update. He bought a 20 unit apartment building with cash and was rehabbing it with his dad, one unit at a time as they came vacant. He was loving his new life and had decided to do some freelance marketing work as well.

Neither of these men had situations I have followed exactly, but it was their stories they shared with me that led me many years later down the path of owning real estate. I do hope one day to talk to the second man. I am not in a hurry though as my FIRE date is looming and I'd like to surprise him with the fact that I am FIREd like he is...Won't he be surprised! I even think I will be FIREing at about his age when the time comes.

My parents and DHs parents were examples of what NOT to do. Not a one of them utilizes their money effectively at all. They make really silly decisions that are mostly emotion based. Things like, pay 7k for surgery for a beloved dog that has 2 years expected life span. Hoard 150k in the bank for years because they don't know how to invest it. Buy brand new cars (that is just plain wasteful if you ask me). Nothing horrible, but all the basic MMM rules are not followed by them at all.