I\’ve been blessed with great mentors.

Colin Cropper was an early mentor of mine. He helped me learn the ropes of Wall Street and land my dream internship. I wrote about him in a previous post, How Informal Mentoring Can Change Your Career.

David White is another. He was my first manager at LinkedIn and helped me both transition to the world of HR and flex a creative muscle I didn\’t know I had. Countless others have provided me with kind gestures or timely advice that has nudged me in the right direction.

But many of my mentors I\’ve never met or spoken with. Odd as that may sound, these individuals have still managed to have a significant impact on my career.

Keith Ferrazzi. I wrote about him and the impact his book had on me in a previous post.

Seth Godin. My first \”interaction\” with Seth was when he was a guest on Tim Ferriss\’ podcast. I\’ve since read several of his books. Small is the New Big inspired me to start my blog, one of the better decisions I\’ve made. His writing constantly reminds me of the need to create art this is meaningful.

Kobe Bryant. He is so relentlessly focused on success that he doesn\’t let anything get in the way of his goals. He doesn\’t care what people think.

John Tanner. My great, great, great (three greats) grandfather. He sacrificed everything he had (money, status in society, etc.) to do what he knew was right.

I am grateful for mentors—even the ones I haven\’t met.

#30daysofgratitude