A mentor isn’t someone who gives you answers. It’s someone who asks you better questions.

Being handed answers makes you faster today and dependent tomorrow. A good mentor withholds a little on purpose, asking the question that makes you find it, which is slower and leaves you with something you can repeat without them. Eventually you start asking yourself their questions, and that is the real transfer.

When you take a problem to somebody more experienced, ask how they would approach it rather than what the answer is. Write down the questions they ask you. Try those on the next problem before going back.